The 2008 International Climate Change Conference in Hollywood had just finished and the after party was buzzing with ideas, laughter and raw vegan chocolate balls! I had the privilege to meet Shaun Monson (filmmaker of Earthlings), Eric Brent (founder of Happy Cow), Howard Lyman (author of The Mad Cowboy), Dr. Will Tuttle (author of The World Peace Diet), and other vegan pioneers who filled me heaps of positive energy. The next thing I knew, the impulse to write a children's vegan story suddenly emerged and after lots of trial and error, The Kind Garden story was born.

Special thanks to the gifted, self-trained Canadian artist, Clare Ma, who as a high school senior, devoted her time and skills to complete this project. She did a wonderful job conveying the innocent beauty, joy and simplicity of The Kind Garden.