A mum-of-two has written children’s book with a vegan message in a bid to help youngsters be better informed about their life choices.

Ipswich Star: Tina Newman has written a new children's book called Vivi the Supervegan. Picture: TINA NEWMANTina Newman has written a new children's book called Vivi the Supervegan. Picture: TINA NEWMAN (Image: Archant)

As a vegan for two years and a vegetarian for 20, Tina Newman has discovered it difficult to find books she felt were suitable for her children Lyla, aged five, and Ada, three.

The 33-year-old from Stonham Aspal believes everyone should be free to make their own choices about whether they eat products from animals - but feels most books don't allow children to do that, because they make subliminal assumptions that people eat meat and drink milk.

So she created a new character called Vivi the Supervegan, who encourages those around her to be kinder to animals, so that "children know they have the choice to decide" whether they want to eat meat.

She said: "I went vegan in 2017 and I was vegetarian for 20 years, so it was a natural progression for me.

"I had my two children and when I went vegan, I straight away looked for books for them.

"I wanted to get something suitable for them and there wasn't anything out there.

"I wanted to get something out there that would be suitable for them but that still covered the vegan message in an age appropriate way and that there's no scaremongering."

She describes her book, launched at Isaacs on Ipswich Waterfront on Sunday, August 4, as a "normal children's book with a vegan message" that is non-judgemental - but hopes the inspire adults reading the book to their children as well.

With the vegan movement having really taken off in the past year or so, she said it is a "very good for a book to be coming out".

She added: "There's a great need from the people I've spoken to.

"The majority of human beings are compassionate and loving people who would never want to cause anyone suffering," she added.

"It's really important for children to have the choice."

The book has also been given a glowing recommendation by Australian animal right activist and lecturer James Aspey, who called it "a great story of a young warrior who inspires the people around her to be more kind to animals".