Vegan Cheese Book Review, Not Yo Cheeze
We love a good book here at VeganCheese.co and when we smelt the cheesiness and hints of veganism in this book by Amy Winfield, we knew we had to read it! The artwork to the front cover by Thiago Neumann is rather fun too.
We love a good book here at VeganCheese.co and when we smelt the cheesiness and hints of veganism in this book by Amy Winfield, we knew we had to read it! The artwork to the front cover by Thiago Neumann is rather fun too.
About the Author
This is a book written by Amy Winfield. Amy is a children's author and a young at heart mother whom is an excellent story teller. This is a book suitable for age 8 - 12 years but also a enjoyable book for adults to read too!
Book Description Before Reading
The back of the book gives you a little insight into the story:
"No one ever said life was easy. Tone Provolone and Cheddar Chessman can attest to that. Their struggling shop - the Cheese-Ah-Breeze - is starved for customers and tormented by the stinking-rich Limburger, the big cheese of the town and their biggest rival. They seem destined for failure, until they encounter Vinnie Gouda, a young mouse looking to belong; Mrs. Asiago, a shabby old mouse with a heart of gold; Swiss Never Miss, a teen mouse with the perfect aim; and Fontina Dante, who's in search of leisurely travel, but finds a hunk - and it's not cheese - that melts her heart.
This new motley crew of characters slowly turns their lives around for the better. But they shouldn't celebrate just yet, because something is rotten just outside their town of Cheeseton, Wisconsin. It lurks in the darkness, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
From the storyteller who brought us The Birth of Agent Big Butt: Butt of Steel, Heart of Gold comes another heart-warming classic, a delectable, cheese-filled tale ripe with adventure, mystery, and lessons on the power of friendship. "
The book can be bought as paperback, hardback or kindle edition.
Our Review of the Book
Not Yo Cheeze is a fictional story written for both children and adults to enjoy. The story takes you to Cheeseton a small town hidden within a corn field on a farm away from the prying eyes of cats, they have lived there happily, until recently.
This is a story about mice and believe me in this story, these mice live up to the stereotype of cheese lovers! Here you meet two of the best cheese makers in the town, Cheddar Chessman and Tone Provolone. Who are struggling to keep their cheese shop "The Cheese Ah Breeze" going.
Life in Cheeseton is quite similar to the comings and goings of human life, with the norms of travelling about by cars, working 9-5 and going away on holidays, meeting up with friends and loved ones, along with your nosy neighbours and people up to no good, with the added elements of alcohol and drugs, although in Cheeseton it's catnip.
There are a number of wonderful attributes to this book being quite the creative story especially for cheese lovers like us. With many of the characters named after types of cheese, even down to their personality matching their taste and texture characteristics of the cheese.
For example, Cheddar appears to be your more gentle and mellow kind of guy and Tone Provolone to be more of a sparky, go getting kind of character. A particular favourite character in the book is Swiss. I won't go into detail about what he is like, I will leave that to your imagination and for when you read the book yourself.
The way the book is written and put together that entwines the world of cheese is genius.
As the story develops the author really gets you thinking about where cheese comes from and how it is made, you see through the eyes of a young apprentice mouse cheese maker as he learns what ingredients and tasks are involved.
Including how a cow is milked, you connect with the sadness he sees in the cows eyes, which the cheesemakers Cheddar and Tone are now oblivious to.
This to me really emphasises the nature of taught acceptance as we learn and grow. The book addresses cognitive dissonance in a way that is subtle yet thought provoking.
You also see the care and precision that both Cheddar and Tone take when dealing with cheese, it is a craft they have taken a number of years to learn, and you learn about this as Cheddar describes how difficult he found it in the beginning even cutting the cheese correctly.
Cheesemaking is truly not a simple procedure, it is an art form. This again is something we can relate with as we have come across many wonderfully passionate vegan cheese makers and their product is hand crafted with care and love.
Being set in a town called Cheeseton you'll not be surprised to hear they are not the only cheesemakers in town. With that there comes competition and not all friendly competition. The book explores long time friendships, new budding friendships and romance as well as action packed drama that will have you gripped ready to read the next chapter.
One thing we haven't mentioned yet is that the book not only makes the reader question the ethics behind taking cows milk to make cheese, there is even a chapter titled “Vegan Cheese” and wait for it, the book has its own vegan cheesemaker who rocks up into town. This beautiful character has a lot to say and brings a new take on how to do things.
Final Comments
This is an excellent read for all ages on the basis of a great story but also the caring and informative undertone of veganism and acknowledgement of vegan cheese. We enjoyed it for each of these reasons and would happily read again!
It's Vegan Cheese Rating
9/10
- Thought provoking reading
- Dissecting cognitive dissonance
- Thoughts on ethics over tradition
- Vegan character in the book/ A vegan cheese maker even
- A process of vegan cheese making described in the book
- Difficulties finding vegan food within general society touched on
- Heart warming book
- Suitable for all ages to understand and enjoy