Interested in teaching philosophy and ethics to elementary school children? We’ve got over 200 discussion guides designed to help you introduce philosophy and ethics using popular children’s picture books. Each discussion guide will introduce educators to the key philosophical or ethical issues in the picture book. The guides also provide questions to help initiate a philosophical discussion with young children.
Do you have a book in mind that you do not see on our site? We are creating new guides all the time, and would appreciate your suggestions. Fill out a request form here to suggest a book. Or maybe you’d like to develop your own module for a book. You can submit your own original book module here.
Discussion Guides
Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler Discussion Guide, David Marsh
Sam and the Firefly by P.D. Eastman Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
Sam Tells Stories by Thierry Robberecht Discussion Guide, Brandon Collins
Scaredy Squirrel by Mélanie Watt Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
Shrek by William Steig Discussion Guide, Hilary Pollan
Shrek (En Español) by William Steig Discussion Guide, Hilary Pollan and Ellen Duthie
Shy Charles by Rosemary Wells Discussion Guide, Marty Rhodes Figley
Snow by Uri Shulevitz Discussion Guide, Felicity Carroll and Samuel McHugh
Socrates by Rascal and Gert Bogaerts Discussion Guide, AJ Van Zoeren and Anna McGinn
So Few of Me by Peter H. Reynolds Discussion Guide, Kate Doyle
Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth Discussion Guide, Isabella Barden
Sora and the Cloud by Felicia Hoshino Discussion Guide, Sarah Kochanek and Anna Shao
Sosu's Call by Meshack Asare Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
Spork by Kyo Maclear Discussion Guide, Amalie Dahl Haue
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon Discussion Guide, Rachel Brauser, Jessica Mejía, and Emily Knuth
Stone Soup by J. Jon Muth Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola Discussion Guide, AJ Van Zoeren and Anna McGinn
Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev Discussion Guide, Jessica Mejía and Emily Knuth
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig Discussion Guide, Mara Gabrielsen
That is NOT a Good Idea! by Mo Willems Discussion Guide, Lauren Osur and Lily Hartley
The Adventures of Taxi Dog by Debra and Sal Barracca Discussion Guide, Andrew Conarty '24
The Araboolies of Liberty Street by Sam Swope Discussion Guide, BJ Ramsey
The Bear Under the Stairs by Helen Cooper Discussion Guide, Ellen Duthie
The Bee-Man of Orn by Frank Richard Stockton Discussion Guide, Gareth Matthews and Jayme Johnson
The Big Box by Toni Morrison Discussion Guide, Mary Cowhey, Thomas Wartenberg, and Taryn Hargrove
The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Manus Pinkwater Discussion Guide, Ariel Sykes
The Black Book of Colors by Rosana Faria and Menena Cottin Discussion Guide, Rosalie Shays
The Brave Monkey Pirate by Hayes Robert Discussion Guide, Cody Thomas and Arthur Batorowski
The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss Discussion Guide, Nathan Treloar
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss Discussion Guide, Emily Cudhea-Pierce and Noah Plewa
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss Discussion Guide, Joey Shaughnessy
The Copy Crocs by David Bedford and Emily Bolam Discussion Guide, Allison Drutchas
The Crayon Box That Talked by Shane DeRolf Discussion Guide, Zuha Shaikh
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt Discussion Guide, Sally Donovan and Tristan Leigh
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds Discussion Guide, Sarah Magid and Daniel Gorter
"The Dream" from Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel Discussion Guide, Thomas Wartenberg
The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen Discussion Guide, Mark Mudryk
"The Garden" from Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel Discussion Guide, Thomas Wartenberg and Jayme Johnson
The Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell Discussion Guide, Courtney Cioffredi and Thomas Wartenberg
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein Discussion Guide, Thomas Wartenberg
The Gold Coin by Alma Flor Ada Discussion Guide, Marissa Saltzman
The Good Little Book by Kyo Maclear Discussion Guide, Olivia Oberle
The Hermit Crab by Carter Goodrich Discussion Guide, Laura Griffin
The Honest-to-Goodness Truth by Patricia C. McKissack Discussion Guide, Jessica Mejía and Emily Knuth
The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown Discussion Guide, Thomas Wartenberg
The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau by Jon Agee Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig Discussion Guide, Irene Amalaraj
The Lion and the Little Red Bird by Elisa Kleven Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton Discussion Guide, Elizabeth Han and Stephanie Maitre
