Exciting new children’s book shines light on the plight of farmed animals

Author Joann Howeth brings together the story of two courageous individuals who beat the odds to survive. The Mollys B. follows a cow named Molly who escaped from a ranch, running for her life to win her freedom at a farmed animal sanctuary. Molly the cow’s story is juxtaposed with another real-life story—Titanic survivor Margaret Tobin Brown’s, popularly known as the Unsinkable Molly Brown.

The children’s book—a 2023 Writer’s Digest Writing Competition Award Winner—was inspired by an incident that happened eighteen years ago in Howeth’s home state of Montana. Howeth hopes to bring awareness to younger generations about the tragic lives of farmed animals within the intensive animal agriculture industry—and why they deserve so much better.

Julia Wisner, Director of Public Relations of The Humane League, sat down with Howeth to hear more about the true story behind the book, how Molly the cow got her name, and how to create change for animals through creative storytelling.

Julia: Can you talk about the moment you first read about Molly’s escape in 2006? What was it about her story that stuck with you?

Howeth: Mostly, I was amused by her personality and impressed with her tenacity. And I was so happy that the people involved decided to reward her—that kindness was alive that day. When she was finally back in the holding pens, and people from as far away as Europe were rallying for her release, the rancher who owned Molly wasn't interested in sparing her. He wanted his money, so Del Morris, the manager of the meatpacking plant, purchased her and then set her up in a paddock near the plant until a better home could be found for her. I love that part of the story—that something about her fight for her life spoke to this man's heart and that he spent his own money to ensure she received clemency.

Julia: You mention that the idea for The Mollys B. came to you in a feverish moment on a plane. What was it like to have the story suddenly “land in your lap” after so many years?

Howeth: It was very exciting! And shocking. I was completely unprepared for it. It was like watching a movie in my head where everything just suddenly fell into place. I couldn’t wait to get home and start writing.

Julia: How did you approach writing for a young audience while handling the difficult topic of slaughterhouses and animals raised for food?

Howeth: I gave that issue MUCH consideration. In the early stages of writing the book, I approached it from a couple of angles, wanting to do justice to the issue—teaching but not lecturing. My goal wasn’t to try and change anyone's mind about eating beef and other animal products, but to open people’s eyes, especially children but also their parents. I wanted to get them thinking, asking questions, realizing where their food was coming from, and appreciating the sacrifice animals are forced to make for our consumption.

There is an endearing YouTube video documenting the dilemma a little girl wrestles with at the dinner table and how her loving parents support her. Everyone should watch it. You’ll need some Kleenex!

Julia: What led you to use the dual narrative structure, linking Molly the heifer and Margaret “Molly” Brown?

Howeth: The manager of the meatpacking plant named Molly in tribute to the original—Margaret Tobin Brown. He even made a comment as to Molly the Bovine’s spunk being so similar to Margaret’s. So recognizing the encounters both Mollys had with water was the link—the common thread to a single shared experience that happily ended in survival for both of them. I was told by people in the children’s book publishing industry that it was a “stretch” comparing these two, but I ignored those comments and kept working to bring my vision to life. Also, I recognized that I couldn’t tell Molly Bovine's story by itself. Trying to do so would place it in a moralistic corner that wasn’t my intention. I wanted to focus on the subjects of bravery, fortitude, and survival with the issues of meat consumption, slaughter, etc. being tangential subjects for readers to investigate for themselves.

Julia: Were there any challenges in balancing the two storylines while keeping the book engaging for children?

Howeth: I knew I had to keep the story pared down with enough tension to keep kids engaged but not so much that it frightened them.

Julia: Did you encounter any difficulties in verifying details or obtaining photographs?

Howeth: Verifying details was not easy. Since [Molly Bovine’s] incident happened eighteen years prior to my beginning to write about it, I had trouble locating some of the individuals involved. The meatpacking plant had closed, the manager had died, and I couldn’t locate anyone who had worked there at the time, so I was unable to obtain firsthand recollections of the actual incident. I was relegated to using newspaper articles. As I look back now, I don’t know why I didn’t think to try to contact the veterinarian who tranquilized Molly. Nor did I consider contacting the police department or the animal control department. I regret that I let those potential interview opportunities slip by.

As an author, I'm embarrassed that I didn’t fulfill my due diligence. I was able to follow the trail to two of the three farm animal sanctuaries Molly lived at and interviewed the individuals who had contact with her during those remaining years. Obtaining licenses to reproduce photographs was a separate concern. The Denver Library Digital Archives was my resource for Margaret. For the photos published in the newspapers of Molly Bovine, I had to trace those by reaching out to the staff photographers with only minimal success, as so many of them had moved on in their careers. One of them directed me to The Associated Press, which owns the photos, and through that organization I was able to purchase the rights to replicate them.

Julia: Molly’s story clearly resonated with you over the years. Did writing this book change the way you think about resilience and survival?

Howeth: I think writing the book made my attitude about resilience stronger. The Latin axiom, “Those who take risks often reap great rewards; those who are courageous are often the most successful,” really resonates with me, and has been my mantra throughout the experience of writing and publishing this book. I also wear a necklace that says, “Be Brave” which I really needed because I have been unsure how a tale like this was going to be received. I live in a state where ranching makes up a huge proportion of its economy. It’s purely assumption on my part, but I will not be surprised to learn that a lot of my fellow Montanans don't understand or support my motives.

Julia: How did you collaborate with the illustrator to bring both Mollys to life visually?

Howeth: The collaboration with my illustrator, Rupert van Wyk, was completely handled by my publisher. Rupert lives in the UK, so I have never met him or have even had a chance to thank him for his marvelous illustrations. He interpreted the text as a visual artist and brought all of the images to life with the assistance of my editor. We had some funny misunderstandings, all the outcome of cultural differences. In his first line drawings, he portrayed all of the people wearing flat caps like farmers in the UK do—not the cowboy hats our farmers and ranchers prefer. And in the illustration of Molly on the ranch, the western windmill originally looked like a windmill from the Netherlands, which still makes me laugh.

Julia: What was the most rewarding part of seeing your words turned into a picture book?

Howeth: Well, I’m a newbie author and have been dreaming of becoming published for a long time. To see it finally happening is a little astonishing to me.

Julia: You mention that some stories take years to fully form. What advice would you give to writers who feel like they have a story but don’t know how to tell it yet?

Howeth: Be patient! Even if the idea isn’t consciously in your thoughts, it’s in the back of your mind, processing.

Julia: Have you had any memorable responses from readers—especially children—about the book?

Howeth: The best responses I've had so far have been from the adults in my life, many who have told me that it brought tears to their eyes. As for the children, since the book is just being officially released, I haven’t gotten to witness any reactions. I’m excited to begin my school visits, which will tell me a lot more about how children respond to the plights of the Mollys.

Julia: What do you hope young readers take away from The Mollys B.?

Howeth: Thoughtfulness, compassion, kindness, empathy, standing up for yourself in moments of adversity.

Using her creativity and compassion, Howeth is showing readers of all ages that it’s possible to help improve, change, and ultimately eliminate factory farming—despite seemingly insurmountable odds. And who better to learn this from than Molly Bovine and Molly Brown?

Order the book here for more inspiration.