Our latest Book on the Bird Table is JUNO’S ARK by British investor and philanthropist Jim Mellon, published this month by Fruitful Publications.
Aimed at 7 to 9-year-olds, the book is inspired by Jim’s passion for animal welfare and follows the adventures of a big-hearted dog called Juno, evoking classics such as Black Beauty and The Sheep-pig.
When a strange, bedraggled chicken appears in Juno’s house one morning, the kind dog knows she won’t be able to rest until all the chickens are safe. But bedraggled chickens lead to mistreated cows and unhappy pigs… Can Juno and her motley crew of helpful friends bring these less fortunate animals to safety? And where on earth will she put them all?
JUNO’S ARK introduces children to the importance of animal welfare and the problems with current industrial farming methods, and to more humane solutions including lab-grown meat using stem cell methods. It also features a fun and informative puzzle section at the end of the book.
Featuring timeless illustrations by Simone Fumagalli, the characters of Juno and her canine siblings are inspired by Jim’s rescue Podencos, a breed of Spanish hunting dog, historically loved for its playful, intelligent nature but too often abused and abandoned today. This has compelled Jim to donate 50% of the proceeds from JUNO’S ARK to Danos Una Oportunidad (DUO), a dog shelter in Ibiza where Jim lives with Juno and his other rescue dogs. The other 50% will be donated to Compassion in World Farming, the leading farm animal welfare charity.
Visit www.JunosArk.com for more information.
Q+A WITH AUTHOR JIM MELLON
Discover Animals spoke to author Jim Mellon to find out more about the inspiration behind JUNO’S ARK and his work within the field of cellular agriculture:
1. You’ve written or co-written eight books about investment and industry. What made you decide to write your first fiction book?
I am passionate about animal welfare, so much so, I started a company to try and take animal cruelty out of meat production. I was keen to get the message across to youngsters that you don’t have to cause suffering to animals to produce food and using my dogs to tell the story seemed a good idea.
2.In the book, Juno helps rescue farm animals and shows them how the food system is being changed to be kinder to animals and the environment. How did you first become interested in this subject and how are you involved in this area now?
I have been a non-meat eater for years, and with my biotech background, recognised that biotech processes could disrupt the current supply system of food and materials, and so started looking at the opportunities about four years ago. Many people are unaware that the food they eat is quite often the result of practices that would disgust them if they were better informed. I have a vision that within the next couple of decades, world agriculture will be radically transformed by the advent of technological innovations for the creation of lab-grown meat. I am investing in companies that are developing processes and equipment for the production of clean meat in high-tech factories.
3. What did you enjoy most about the creative process involved in writing a fiction book for children?
It’s much more fun than non fiction, and it plays to my vivid imagination!
4. How did you decide on the illustrator for the book?
He was introduced to us by our team. They had briefed several artists and asked them to send through some ideas for the illustrations. It was important to me that the illustrator was an animal lover who had a passion for wildlife and the countryside; Simone sent sketches that captured the character of Juno, the other animals and the environment I had written about.
5. What are the most important messages you hope children are going to take away from the book?
That kindness to animals should be a key part of their lives going forward.
6. What can children and their adults do to help farm animals now and in the future?
Stop eating meat and milk, and using leather.
7. How can the farming industry adapt to the new stem cell technology, which will require a shift in current methods?
There are multiple opportunities for farmers, including siting bioreactors (as in JUNO’S ARK) on their land, growing more crops for human consumption, and making artisanal cheeses and milks in a humane way, which some farmers are doing.
About the author:
Jim Mellon is a British entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. His investment philosophy is underpinned by careful analysis of new industries or major shifts in markets. The first book he co-authored was Wake Up!, which foresaw the global financial crisis of 2008-2009. His subsequent book, Juvenescence, marked the beginning of a rush of capital into the nascent field of ageing research. Jim’s most recent book, Moo’s Law, focuses on investment opportunities in the field of cellular agriculture. Jim strongly believes that technical innovation combined with the harrowing effects of industrial farming will radically transform global protein production, for the better.
About the illustrator:
Simone Fumagalli grew up in the province of Monza and Brianza in Italy. As a child, he spent his time wandering on hunting adventures with his bicycle and drawing unexplored fantasy worlds. Later, he attended the children’s illustration school ‘Arte & Messaggio’ and the annual ‘MiMaster’ master of editorial illustration in Milan. He loves to be inspired by the world of nature and animals. In his free time, he likes to climb mountains, walk in the woods and relax in the middle of the sea.
JUNO’S ARK can be bought at bookstores including:
JUNO’S ARK Kindle Edition
£6.99
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