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
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Discussion Guide, Allison Trzop
The Little Red Hen by Margot Zemach Discussion Guide, Kennyi Aouad and Noah Someck
The Littlest Knight by Carol Moore Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
The Littlest Matryoshka by Corinne Bliss Discussion Guide, Sarah Vasquez and Jayme Johnson
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss Discussion Guide, Jessica Mejía and Emily Knuth
The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein Discussion Guide, Jason Wu
The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle Discussion Guide, Ellen Duthie
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi Discussion Guide, Sarah Hopson
The Name Jar (En Español) by Yangsook Choi Discussion Guide, Sarah Hopson and María Van Eyk
The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant Discussion Guide, Kelly Lhungay
The Paper Bag Princess by Michael Martchenko and Robert Munsch Discussion Guide, Alyk Kenlan and Maya Ben-Shahar
The Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson Discussion Guide, Jessica Mejía and Emily Knuth
The Pigeon Needs a Bath! by Mo Willems Discussion Guide, Caroline von Klemperer and Andy Rodgers
The PoutPout Fish by Deborah Diesen Discussion Guide, Tristan Leigh and Sally Donovan
The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau Discussion Guide, Cassiel Owens and Marina Lawson
The Rabbit in the Moon by Rosalyn White Discussion Guide, Jelena Spansojevic
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
The Rainbow Tulip by Pat Mora Discussion Guide, Rubina Cheema, Emily Knuth, and Jessica Mejía
The Real Thief by William Steig Discussion Guide, Mary Cowhey and Thomas Wartenberg
There by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Discussion Guide, Emily Fuller
There's a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer Discussion Guide, Rachel Bailey
The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
The Shaman's Apprentice by Mark J. Plotkin and Lynn Cherry Discussion Guide, Heather Slutz
The Shortest Kid in the World by Corrine Demas Bliss Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss Discussion Guide, Lena Harwood, Jessica Mejía, and Emily Knuth
The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris Discussion Guide, Emily Tilton and Ziyi Wang
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf Discussion Guide, Madeleine Lifsey, Jessica Mejía, and Emily Knuth
The Subway Mouse by Barbara Reid Discussion Guide, Garett Marks and Nicole Volek
The Sweetest Fig by Chris van Allsburg Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth Discussion Guide, Alex Bynum and Sam Cooke
The Trouble with Cauliflower by Jane Sutton Discussion Guide, Elizabeth King
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka Discussion Guide, Sarah Rowley
The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen Discussion Guide, Melanie Stuart
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Discussion Guide, Alison Coates
The Very Best of Friends by Margaret Wild Discussion Guide, Sara Rodriguez
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle Discussion Guide, Damir Pupovic, Jessica Mejía, and Emily Knuth
The Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg Discussion Guide, Dale Bailey and Kayla Lavallee
The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman Discussion Guide, Ariel Sykes
They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel Discussion Guide, Lauren LaMore
The Zax by Dr. Seuss Discussion Guide, Sarah A. Keating
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen Discussion Guide, Caroline von Klemperer and Andy Rodgers
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts Discussion Guide, Lindsey Chavez and Mark Leedy
TigerTiger, is it True? by Byron Katie and Hans Wilhelm Discussion Guide, Prindle Institute
Trosclair and the Alligator by Peter Huggins Discussion Guide, Henry Liedl and Natalie Bulger
Tusk Tusk by David McKee Discussion Guide, Sulaiha Schwartz
Ultima parada de la calle Market by Matt de la Peña Discussion Guide, Felicity Carroll, Samuel McHugh, and María Van Eyk
Un Libro by Hervé Tullet Discussion Guide, Ellen Duthie
Waiting by Kevin Henkes Discussion Guide, Christian Purnell and Leah Meltzer
Walt Disney's Peter Pan by Leigh Addison Discussion Guide, Jillian Meyer '23, Jessica Mejía, and Emily Knuth
