Erik Talkin, CEO of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County and a former screenwriter with a Master of Fine Arts, has channeled his creative prowess into penning children’s books centered on food justice. His unique background, merging a flair for storytelling with a deep understanding of food insecurity, has culminated in the release of two new food justice themed books for kids, following a successful first book in 2020.

Talkin’s latest works, “Jesse and the Snack Food Genie” and “Frankie versus the Food Phantom,” explore the themes of healthy eating and local food systems. These books join his initial offering, “Lulu and the Hunger Monster,” which delved into food insecurity from a child’s perspective. The use of spooky characters like genies, phantoms, and monsters is a deliberate choice by Talkin. “Kids love monsters, right?” he says, using these characters to simplify complex and difficult topics for young readers.

Born in America and raised in England due to his father’s Navy career, Talkin’s journey has been diverse. After leading a production company in London, he moved to California to pursue screenwriting, eventually finding his calling in non profit work. He has been at the helm of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County for 16 years, drawing on his father’s culinary prowess and his own creative background in his approach to addressing food issues.

Talkin doesn’t just write about food insecurity; he actively engages with it. Every two years, he undertakes a challenge to live on the daily SNAP allotment for a month, a task that vividly highlights the necessity of food bank services. These experiences often include additional themes, such as sleeping in a car or staying in a homeless shelter, to deepen his understanding of the challenges faced by those struggling with food insecurity.

His books, published by Free Spirit Publishing, are available for purchase at $16 on the food bank’s website – $8 from each sale is directly contributed to the food bank. Talkin’s first book, “Lulu and the Hunger Monster,” saw impressive sales of 17,000 copies, a significant figure in the publishing world. He anticipates schools and food banks, which often buy in bulk for distribution to donors or volunteers, to be key markets for his books.

Talkin’s literary journey offers a progressive narrative: starting with the fundamental need for food security, evolving to the necessity of nutritious food, and finally, encouraging children’s participation in local food systems. As Talkin succinctly puts it, “Once our own situation is sorted out, how can we look out into the community, and sort things out there?” His books not only educate but also inspire action among the younger generation in the realm of food justice.