The Philosophers' Club - Hardcover

As a child, KIM DONER aspired to be a Ballerina-Veterinarian-Artist-- dancing at night, saving animals by day, and summering in Africa to draw wild animals from a treehouse. Today, she has made those dreams a reality-sharing her love of the arts through her award-winning children's books, rehabilitating wildlife, and planning a return to Africa with her husband. Kim lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Called a "modern-day Socrates" CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS travels the U.S., facilitating hundreds of Socrates Cafés where ordinary people gather to ask questions—and questions about questions. He is the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Society for Philosophical Inquiry, and the author of one book for grown-ups, Socrates Café: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy.

Gr 5-7-This book is based on the premise that Socratic dialogues with and among children will result in an enhanced ability for them to think for themselves. The author gives examples of questions to ponder, such as "What is silence?" "Are the mind and the brain the same thing?" and the ever-popular "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" While it is certainly true that students need to develop the ability to think clearly and make good decisions, this book isn't likely to further the process. The inquiries and dialogues, which change quickly from one page to the next, may confuse some readers about what topic is being addressed. The colorful illustrations suggest that this book is meant for elementary children, but the points are likely to be missed by young, concrete thinkers.

Lynn Dye, Keheley Elementary School, Marietta, GA

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