Sneetch is a Sneetch and Other Philosophical Discoveries

Thomas E. Wartenberg is Professor of Philosophy at Mount Holyoke College, USA. He founded the Teaching Children Philosophy program, which won the 2011 APA/PDC Prize for Excellence and Innovation in Philosophy Programs. Its website, www.teachingchildrenphilosophy.org, receives tens of thousands of visits monthly. Professor Wartenberg’s 13 books as author or editor include Big Ideas for Little Kids: Teaching Philosophy through Children’s Literature (2009), Existentialism: A Beginner’s Guide (2008), and The Philosophy of Film: Introductory Text and Readings (Wiley-Blackwell, 2005), which he co-edited with Angela Curran. He has been awarded Senior Fulbright Fellowships to Germany and New Zealand, as well as a National Endowment for the Humanities Research Fellowship. He has also directed two National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminars for School Teachers.

“This is a great resource for those interested in pre-college philosophy and in elementary education, and for parents generally.  It also will be useful to upper-level philosophy and education students looking for novel approaches within their disciplines.  Summing Up: Highly recommended.  Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers.”  (Choice, 1 November 2013)"Filled with humor and keen insights, A Sneetch is a Sneetch and other Philosophical Discoveries is essential reading for anyone with an interest in philosophy or children's literature - and by anyone, I mean anyone - from the mom or dad looking for something interesting to read to their toddler, to writers of every ilk, and yes, even full fledge, academically inclined philosophers. Happy pondering!!."  (History in Review, 3 June 2013)

• Acknowledgments ix‘‘Why? Why? Why?’’: Children, Philosophy, and Picture Books 11 Harold and the Purple Crayon: Can You Get Wet Swimming in an Imaginary Ocean? 72 The Important Book: Is a Leopard without Its Spots Still a Leopard? 163 Shrek!: Could a Dead Skunk Smell Good? 244 Let’s Do Nothing!: Can You Just Do Nothing at All? 335 Knuffle Bunny: How Do You Know I’m Angry If I Don’t Say So? 426 Many Moons: Do Experts Really Know More? 487 Yellow and Pink: Could Human Life Have Arisen Purely by Chance? 558 Morris the Moose: How Do You Know When You’ve Made a Mistake? 639 Emily’s Art: What’s the Difference between Saying the Mona Lisa Is a Great Painting and Vanilla Is Your Favorite Flavor? 7110 Miss Nelson Is Missing!: Is It Okay for Adults to Deceive Kids? 8111 The Giving Tree: How Can It Be Wrong to Give Someone What They Want? 9012 ‘‘Cookies’’: What Good Is Having Will-Power If You Don’t Have Any More Cookies? 10013 Frederick: Can You Enjoy Doing Something Even If It’s Work? 10914 The Sneetches: Isn’t It All Right to Discriminate in Choosing Your Friends? 11615 The Paper Bag Princess:What’s Wrong with ‘‘Living Happily Ever After’’? 12516 The Big Orange Splot: Is There Anything Wrong with Conformity? 132Taking Picture Books Seriously 142Who’s Who: Thumbnail Biographies of the Philosophers 145What’s What: Key Philosophical Terms 156Next Steps: Additional Philosophical Picture Books 160More Next Steps: Digging Deeper into Philosophy 163