Teaching Kids About Labor Strikes: An Update with "Animal Strike at the Zoo!"
How do you explain work issues for kids?
That was a question I posed two years ago in a post. I didn't really answer it other than to point to a children's book "Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type" as a way to have a discussion about labor issues with kids from 3-8 or so.
But there's only so many times you can read the same book to your kids (although, no doubt, kids can often request the same book nightly for seemingly forever).
In recent weeks, I've come across another book that I can recommend titled "Animal Strike at the Zoo". The premise? Well, as you might expect, the animals at the zoo are unhappy with their living conditions (after all, the elephants are just paid peanuts) and decide to stop doing anything other than sleep. After awhile, the zookeeper improves some of their conditions but refuses to give the zebras the root beer floats they've been asking for.
Suddenly, a little girl Sue comes by the zoo (she's been waiting for her visit all year). Will the animals decide to give their strike a break? I won't ruin the ending, though I have heard rumors that the animals at the circus may be next.
I'm sure, as with "Click, Clack, Moo", some will try to turn it into a symbol of a great union vs. management struggle. (In fact, there are labor unions who recommend that book during the "holiday season" for their members.)
But for others looking just for a light-hearted tale with great pictures that introduces the concept of a "strike", this book will work. Trust me: The younger set will love this one. And you can use it to talk to your kids about strikes. A win-win.
