Thinking Through Stories
This book provides justification and instruction for exploring philosophy with children, especially by using picture books to initiate philosophical discussion. By demonstrating to teachers, and others that picture books often embed philosophical issues into their narratives, and that this makes picture books a natural place to go to help young children investigate philosophical issues, the author offers a straightforward approach to engaging young students. In particular, this volume highlights how philosophical dialogue enhances children’s sense of self, provides a safe space for the discussion of issues that they are confronted with in living their lives, and develops an admirable method for resolving conflict that the children can use in other contexts.
Thomas E. Wartenberg is Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Mount Holyoke College. He is the author of Big Ideas for Little Kids: Teaching Philosophy Through Children’s Literature and A Sneetch Is a Sneetch and Other Philosophical Discoveries: Finding Wisdom in Children’s Literature.