Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
‘‘Why? Why? Why?’’: Children, Philosophy, and Picture Books 1
1 Harold and the Purple Crayon: Can You Get Wet Swimming in an Imaginary Ocean? 7
2 The Important Book: Is a Leopard without Its Spots Still a Leopard? 16
3 Shrek!: Could a Dead Skunk Smell Good? 24
4 Let’s Do Nothing!: Can You Just Do Nothing at All? 33
5 Knuffle Bunny: How Do You Know I’m Angry If I Don’t Say So? 42
6 Many Moons: Do Experts Really Know More? 48
7 Yellow and Pink: Could Human Life Have Arisen Purely by Chance? 55
8 Morris the Moose: How Do You Know When You’ve Made a Mistake? 63
9 Emily’s Art: What’s the Difference between Saying the Mona Lisa Is a Great Painting and Vanilla Is Your Favorite Flavor? 71
10 Miss Nelson Is Missing!: Is It Okay for Adults to Deceive Kids? 81
11 The Giving Tree: How Can It Be Wrong to Give Someone What They Want? 90
12 ‘‘Cookies’’: What Good Is Having Will-Power If You Don’t Have Any More Cookies? 100
13 Frederick: Can You Enjoy Doing Something Even If It’s Work? 109
14 The Sneetches: Isn’t It All Right to Discriminate in Choosing Your Friends? 116
15 The Paper Bag Princess:What’s Wrong with ‘‘Living Happily Ever After’’? 125
16 The Big Orange Splot: Is There Anything Wrong with Conformity? 132
Taking Picture Books Seriously 142
Who’s Who: Thumbnail Biographies of the Philosophers 145
What’s What: Key Philosophical Terms 156
Next Steps: Additional Philosophical Picture Books 160
More Next Steps: Digging Deeper into Philosophy 163