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Philosophy for Children
Recommended books for 7-‐11 years old Compiled by Sue Lyle
Name of Book Author Concepts Ideas for questions Summary of book
Farther Baker-‐Smith, G. Templar Publishing (2011)
Dreams Reality Passion
Can we live other people’s dreams? Can our parents’ dreams become our dreams? Can we pass on our dreams to others? What is good about having a dream? What is bad about having a dream?
A young boy, bewitched by his father's unrelenting passion to fly -‐ a desperate craving that absorbs his every waking minute -‐ finds himself entranced by the dream. When his father goes to war and does not return it seems the spell is broken. Much later, the boy, now a young man, finds himself drawn once more to his father’s drawings and failed experiments. Finally able to make his fathers dream a reality, he flies. Will his own son be visited by this unrelenting passion?
Beegu Deacon, A. Red Fox (2004)
Appearance Belonging Fears Learnt behaviour Being scared Being lost
What does it mean to be lost? Is being lost frightening? What makes or doesn’t make being lost frightening? Do people have to be like us for us to welcome them? How does it feel not to be noticed?
Beegu is not supposed to be on Earth. She is lost. She is a friendly little creature, but the Earth people don't seem welcoming at all. However, so far she has only met the BIG ones. The little ones are a different matter.
Duck, Death and the Tulip Erlbruch, W. Gecko Press (2008)
Death What does it feel like to lose something or someone that we love? Can we be friends with death?
In a strangely heartwarming story, a duck strikes up an unlikely friendship with Death. "Who are you? Why are you creeping along behind me?" "Good. You've finally noticed me," said Death. "I am Death." Duck was startled. You couldn't blame her for that. Death, Duck and the Tulip is the much-‐anticipated translation of Wolf Erlbruch's latest masterpiece. The book will intrigue, haunt and enchant teenagers and adults. It deals with a difficult subject in a way that is elegant and thought-‐provoking.
War and Peas Forman, M. Andersen Press (2002)
Meanness Peace/war Identity Appearance Reality
Why did the rich neighbour mistake the king for a beggar and a robber? What are the consequences of judging by appearance? Can appearances be deceptive?
King Lion is sad because it hasn't rained in his country for too long; nothing will grow and the land is too hard to dig. He decides to ask his rich (fat) neighbour for help. But he's mistaken for a beggar and a robber, and is pursued home by Fat King and his army and supply trucks. The trucks are so heavy they leave deep ruts in the land. When it finally rains the land is well prepared for seeds. It's War -‐ but not as we know it -‐ or should that be Peace? Or even peas?
Wilfred Gordon MacDonald Partridge Fox, M. Picture Puffin (1987)
Memory What is a memory? Can you lose a memory? Can you find a memory? Do memories change over time? Where are your memories? If you lose your memory are you the same person? Can you choose to forget things?
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge is a small boy who has a big name -‐ and that's why he likes Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper, because she has one too. When he finds Miss Nancy has lost her memory, Wilfrid determines to discover what memories are so he can find it for her.
Fish is Fish Leo Leonni Demco Media
Contentment Envy Friendship Habitats Imagination Self-‐acceptance Self-‐awareness
Would you rather be a fish or a frog? What’s good about being a fish? What’s bad about being a fish? What’s good about being a frog? What’s bad about being a frog? Why did fish want to see the world? Was fish happy in the end? Was frog glad he was a frog? What does it mean to be envious?
Fish and Tadpole are inseparable friends until the day that Tadpole discovers he has legs. They argue about what a fish and a frog are and whether Tadpole is one or the other. When he grows into a frog he climbs out of the water to explore the world. When he returns with tales of what he's seen, Fish’s imagination runs wild. He jumps on to the land to see this world, only to have to be rescued by Frog. He now realises that Frog was right: 'Fish is fish and frog is frog and you can’t be something you are not.'
The Story of the Little Mole who knew it was none of his business Holzwarth, W. Pavilion Children’s Books (1989)
Revenge Friendship
Why did mole seek revenge? Were mole and the dog both guilty? Could mole’s action start a cycle of resentment and revenge? Could mole and dog ever be friends? Dog and mole are by nature different – does this make their differences irreconcilable? Is what mole did just? How can we be sure that justice is done?
A terrible catastrophe befalls mole one morning. It looks a little like a sausage, and the worst thing is that it lands right on his head. Mole sets out to find who has left their ‘business’ on his head. He asks all the animals and eventually the flies tell him dog is the culprit. Mole finds Basil the butcher’s dog, climbs on to his kennel and ‘pling – a tiny black sausage lands right on top of the dog’s head’. Satisfied, mole gets on with his day.
Brother Eagle, Sister Sky: A Message from Chief Seattle Jeffers, S. Picture Puffin (1993)
Ownership Sacredness Destruction Nature
What does Chief Seattle mean by 'sacred'? Does the natural world have rights?
Nearly 150 years ago, Chief Seattle, a respected and peaceful leader of one of the Indian Nations, delivered a message to the government in Washington who wanted to buy his people's land. He believed that all life on earth, and the earth itself, is sacred. A compelling plea for an end to man's destruction of nature.
The Lonely Beast Judge, C. Andersen Press (2011)
Loneliness Is feeling lonely the same as being alone? Can you be alone and not lonely? Can you be with lots of other people and be lonely? Do we need others like us in order not to feel lonely? Can you choose not to be lonely?
Have you heard of the Beasts? No, not many people have. That's because they are very rare. This is the tale of one such Beast, whose determination to overcome his loneliness leads him to undertake a daring and dangerous quest to find others like him . . .
I want my Hat back Klassen, J. Walker Books (2012)
Truth Lying Loss Revenge Trust
Is the rabbit lying? Do we feel guilt when we lie? Why? Why not? If he had found the hat and kept it rather than intentionally stealing it, is that OK? Is it ever OK to take something belonging to someone else? Bear trusted others not to steal from him or lie to him. Does that justify his response? Is trust important?
The bear’s hat is gone, and he wants it back. He politely asks the animals he meets whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others. But just as he begins to lose hope, a deer comes by and asks a question that sparks the bear’s memory and he renews his search with a vengeance. Told in dialogue, this quirky take on the classic repetitive tale plays out in illustrations laced with visual humour and a wry irreverence that will have kids of all ages thrilled to be in on the joke
This is not my Hat Klassen, J. Walker Books (2014)
Stealing Why did the little fish steal the hat? The fish knew it was wrong, so why did he take the hat? Is it wrong to take something that doesn’t belong to you? If we take something and give it back should we be forgiven? How does stealing make us feel? If you stole something and the person you stole it from never knew it was missing does that make it OK? If we know someone has stolen something should we report it?
When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue top hat (which happens to fit him perfectly), trouble could be following close behind. So it's a good thing that enormous fish won't wake up. And even if he does, it's not as though he'll ever know what happened, will he?
Three Monsters McKee, D. Andersen Press (2009)
Laziness Hard-‐working Slavery Exploitation Stranger
Would you rather be lazy or hard-‐working? What’s good about laziness? What’s good about being hard-‐working? Who decides what laziness is? Who decides what hard-‐working is?
Two monsters react in an unwelcoming way when a strange monster arrives in their idyll by the sea. The alien says that an earthquake destroyed his homeland, and he needs a place to live. He offers to make himself useful if they let him stay. Having originally told him to go, they rethink, and make him do lots of land clearing that they had been too lazy to do themselves. Once he has done it, the horrible pair tell him to go, then watch in amazement as he dances back to his boat. The clever stranger has built himself his own island with the earth and plants they told him to clear away.
The Conquerors McKee, D. Andersen Press (2009)
Conquest Resistance
Why do people fight? What is good about fighting? What is bad about fighting?
There once was a large country ruled by a General. He took his army and conquered the countries around him. Eventually, there was only one small country left to conquer. This one did not resist but welcomed the soldiers -‐ with a quite unexpected result!
Rose Blanche McEwan, I. Red Fox (2009)
Ignorance Imprisonment Secrecy Danger War Cruelty Hunger Fear Freedom Punishment Conscience Power Choice
Why does Rose keep her discovery a secret from her mother? Is keeping a secret the same as lying? Was Rose Blanche free? What does it mean to be free? Rose chose to help the children – is she a hero? Did she choose to help because she had a conscience? What is a conscience? Can we blame those who put the children in the camp? Should they be punished? Why do we punish people?
Rose Blanche was the name of a group of young German citizens who, at their peril, protested against the war. Like them, Rose observes the changes going on around her which others choose to ignore. She watches as the streets of her small town fill with soldiers. One day she sees a little boy escaping from the back of a truck, only to be captured by the mayor and shoved back. Rose follows the truck to a desolate place out of town, where she discovers many other children, staring hungrily from behind an electric barbed-‐wire fence. She starts bringing the children food, sensing the need for secrecy, until the tide of the war turns and soldiers in different uniforms stream in from the East -‐ and Rose and the imprisoned children disappear for ever . . .
The Arrival Tan, S. Hodder Children's Books (2010)
Moving Stranger Danger Fear Safety Risk Journey
What is a stranger? Could someone you know be a stranger? Can you be a stranger to yourself? Should we help a stranger? What is the right thing to do? What is right about it? How does it feel not to be noticed?
What drives so many to leave everything behind and journey alone to a mysterious country, a place without family or friends, where everything is nameless and the future is unknown? This silent graphic novel is the story of every migrant, every refugee, every displaced person, and a tribute to all those who have made the journey.
How to Live Forever Thompson, C. Red Fox Picture Books (1998)
Life Death
What if we could choose to live forever? What would be the implications of living forever?
Peter and his family live among the Quinces in the cookery section of a mystical library and at night, when the library comes to life, Peter ventures out of his home to find a missing volume: How To Live Forever.
Erika's Story Vander Zee, R. Creative Paperbacks (2013)
Risk Death Life Kindness Identity
Who is Erika? What makes you, you? If you don’t have a name, do you not have an identity? Does our identity matter? Is a made-‐up identity still an identity? Would we be different if we had different parents? Should adults risk their own lives to save a baby they don’t know? What is the difference between saving a baby and an adult?
In 1995, Ruth Vander Zee and her husband were in Germany where they met Erika, a German Jew, and listened to her story. Born some time in 1944, Erika does not know exactly when or where. She does not know what her parents called her or whether she had brothers and sisters. But she does know that when she was a few months old, she was saved from the Holocaust. In a cattle car, on their way to death, Erika's family threw her from the train to life. She was taken to a woman who risked her life to care for her. She gave her a name, a birthdate, a home, food, clothes, life.
Jemmy Button Uman, J. Templar Publishing (2013)
Home Homesickness Education Fairness Unfairness
What are the differences between Jemmy and the people who captured him? Was it fair to take Jemmy away? What is fair/unfair about it? Did the people who took Jemmy away think he had rights? Should all human beings have rights? Jemmy didn’t choose to go to England but he chose to stay when he came back. Is having a choice important?
Inspired by the life of Jemmy Button -‐ a native of Tierra del Fuego who was brought to England in the mid-‐1800s to be 'educated' and 'civilised' by British missionaries and explorers -‐ this book illustrates Jemmy's adventures in England, his bizarre and extraordinary encounters there, his experience as an outsider in a new land and culture, and his return to home. The book focuses on the theme of distance and homesickness.
Frog is a hero Velthuijs, M. Andersen Press (2014)
Love Difference
What is a hero? Frog is brave – agree or disagree? Do heroes have to be brave? Is it always good to be brave? What if frog had drowned? Is it sometimes silly to be brave? Frog is a good friend – agree or disagree? Friends always share everything with each other – agree or disagree? Can you be friends with someone who is really different from you? YES OR NO
Frog loves the rain, but it doesn't seem much fun when he and his friends are flooded out. Only Hare's house is safe and dry, but Frog, Duck and Pig cannot shelter there forever because their food is running out. As Frog ventures out to fetch more supplies the waters threaten to carry him away.
The Three Robbers Ungerer, T. Phaidon Press (2009)
Stealing Good/bad
Can stealing ever be right? Does it matter why we steal? What effect does stealing have on those who steal? Does it make a difference what is stolen?
Written and illustrated by one of the world's most acclaimed and award-‐winning children's authors, The Three Robbers is a timeless tale of mystery and suspense for 4-‐8 year olds, in which three ferocious thieves are defeated by the guileless logic of an innocent girl.
Moon Man Ungerer, T. Phaidon Press. (2009)
Envy Invasion Boredom
Moon man was envious of the dancing people on Earth. His envy made him feel sad. Is envy a good thing or a bad thing? What are the consequences of envy? Who is responsible for envy? Can we choose whether or not to feel envious?
In this classic story by one of the world's best storytellers for children, the man in the moon looks down on the happy, dancing people on Earth every night, wishing he could join them. He hitches a ride on a passing comet, but is thrown into jail by people who see him as an invader, rather than a friendly visitor. The Moon Man, however, has a most unusual – but perfectly logical – means of escape, and sets out to make his way back home. This is a beautifully illustrated, quirky and gently satiric fable.
Badger’s Parting Gifts Varley, S. Andersen Press (2013)
Life Death Memorial Grief Sadness Friendship
Do we live on through other people’s memories? Do we have to have shared experiences to create memories?
Badger is so old that he knows he will soon die. He tries to prepare his friends for this event, but when he does die, they are still grief-‐stricken. Gradually they come to terms with their grief by remembering all the practical things Badger taught them, and so Badger lives on in his friends' memories of him.
Tadpole’s Promise Willis, J. & Ross, T. Andersen Press (2005)
Promises Does it matter if promises are broken? Is making a promise you can’t keep a lie? Is making a promise you decide not to keep a lie? Is it fair to punish people for not keeping their promises? Can you think of any circumstances when it would be OK to make a promise you don’t keep? If a person always keeps her promises, does this mean she is a good person? If a person breaks her promises, does this mean she is a bad person? Which would you prefer, to make a promise you don’t keep or for someone to break a promise to you?
Tadpole loves his rainbow friend, the caterpillar, and she tells him she loves everything about him. "Promise that you will never change," she says. But as the seasons pass and he matures, his legs grow, and then his arms -‐ and what happens to his beautiful rainbow friend? As he sits on his lily pad, digesting a butterfly, Tadpole little realises that now he will never know.
John Brown, Rose, and the Midnight Cat Jenny Wagner Catnip (2009)
Jealousy Sadness Friendship
Why did Rose want the midnight cat? Why didn’t the dog want the midnight cat to come into the house? What is jealousy? Why was John the dog jealous of the midnight cat? Why did John let the midnight cat come into the house? Why was Rose sad? Were John and Rose friends? Can a dog and a cat be friends?
The story of an old lady, her dog and the mysterious cat who comes into their lives.
Tin Forest Ward, H. Templar Publishing (2013)
Dreams Natural world Made world
What is rubbish? If you use the rubbish is it still rubbish? Who decides what rubbish is? Should some things be labeled as rubbish? What would we have to do differently if nothing was seen as rubbish?
'There was once a wide, windswept place, near nowhere and close to forgotten, that was filled with all the things that no one wanted...' So begins Helen Ward's poetic story. But deep in the forest lives an old man who tidies this rubbish and dreams of a better place. With faith, ingenuity and hard work he transforms his environment.
The Most Wonderful Egg in the World Helme Heine Atheneum
Perfection Beauty Achievement Talent Wonderful Princess Quarreling Authority
It is good to look different. Agree/disagree? What is good about it? What is bad about it? Everyone looks the same: good or bad idea? Can you have a perfect egg? Is a big egg better than a perfect egg? Is the square egg better than the big egg? What if a chicken could lay a square egg? Which egg is the most wonderful?
Dotty had the most beautiful feathers. Stalky had the most beautiful legs. And Plumy had the most beautiful crest. But which of them was the most beautiful? The three hens went to the king. "Whichever one of you lays the most wonderful egg I will make a princess," he proclaimed. And so the contest began... Helme Heine's rollicking tale is sure to enchant children and adults alike.
The Island Armin Greder Allen & Unwin (2008)
Strangers Refugees Xenophobia Human rights
Is someone who looks different on the outside different on the inside? In what ways are human beings different from each other? Does the way we treat people make them different? Can we see the world as others see it? Should we try to see the world from other perspectives?
When the people of the Island discover a man and a tattered raft on their beach, they are reluctant to take him in. He doesn't look like them. But they cannot send him back to the sea where he will surely perish. Instead, they put him aside but even that doesn't solve their problem.
Two Frogs Wormell, C. Red Fox (2005)
Fear Danger Protection
Do we sometimes imagine our fears? What if we act on fears that are not real? Can danger be a good thing?
Two frogs are sitting on a lily pad and one of them has a stick. The stick, he says, is to beat off the dog. But there is no dog . . . yet. So begin the trials of this hapless pair whose adventures build to a brilliant conclusion. A unique book with all the qualities of a timeless fable.
The Daydreamer McEwan, I. Random House (1995)
Dream Reality
What if you could swop bodies with your pet, or another person, a baby, a grown up? Do we have to travel in someone else’s shoes to really understand them?
In these seven interlinked stories the grown-‐up Peter reveals the secret journeys, metamorphoses and adventures of his childhood. Living somewhere between dream and reality, Peter experiences magical transformations when he swaps bodies with William, the family cat, the baby Kenneth and, in the final story, wakes up as a twelve-‐year-‐old inside a grown-‐up body and experiences the adventure of falling in love.
A Boy, a Bear and a Boat Shelton, D. Yearling (2014)
Friendship Trust Danger Blame
Could a boy and a bear be friends? Can you be friends with someone who is so different from you? Do you have to compromise to be friends? Did the boy and the bear see the world in the same way? Can we see the world as others see it?
A boy and a bear go to sea, equipped with a suitcase, a comic book and a ukulele. They are only travelling a short distance and it shouldn't take long. But their journey doesn't quite go to plan . . . Faced with turbulent storms, a terrifying sea monster and the rank remains of a very dangerous sandwich, the odds are against our unlikely heroes. Will the Harriet, their trusted vessel, withstand the violent lashings of the salty waves? And will anyone ever answer their message in a bottle? Brilliantly funny and tender, this beautiful book maps the growth of a truly memorable friendship and explores how, when all else is lost, the most unexpected joys can be found.