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As a first grader, Elfie is shy. She finds it hard to speak in class but she enjoys observing and puzzling over everything that happens around her. So, when the school principal proposes a contest aimed at improving reasoning, Elfie finds herself caught up with her whole class in figuring out how sentences work and how distinctions and connections are made. In little to no time, Elfie and her classmates begin discovering many distinctions fundamental to philosophical appearance and reality, the one and the many, parts and wholes, similarity and difference, permanence and change. This novel touches upon the ethical concepts friendship, love, self-esteem, respect for others, teasing, choosing, and parent-child relationships. Blank pages are also included for young readers to illustrate! Grade K-2. Target 1

184 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1987

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Matthew Lipman

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Profile Image for Myth Liberated.
309 reviews9 followers
August 26, 2017
کتابهای از این دست واقعا برای بچه های امروزی کمه و از اون کمتر برای مربیان و بزرگترها
البته یه مقدار نامفهوم هست البته برای سطح سواد بچه ها ونوع آموزشی که داده میشه بهشون ولی اگه ا دقت خوانده بشه و یه آدم ماهر هم بتونه کمک حال باشه راحت میشه خوند
Profile Image for Vanessa.
69 reviews3 followers
January 13, 2023
This is a classic for P4C enthusiasts. Who in this field has not heard the famous part in the documentary “Socrates for 6 Year Olds”:

“Last night, I was in my bed, and I said to myself, “Elfie, are you asleep?” I touched my eyes, and they were open, so I said, “No, I’m not asleep.”
Suddenly, I thought “that can be wrong. Maybe a person could sleep with her eyes open”.
Then I said to myself, “Right now, Elfie, you’re wondering, and since you’re wondering, you must be thinking! And if you’re thinking then, no matter what Seth says, you’re for real!”

I read this to my 7 year old over the course of several days. We would occasionally stop and discuss something philosophical. Before the evening I would look over the teacher manual to see if I could find some interesting questions or concepts to discuss. Occasionally I would use these but I found my daughter’s natural questions and reactions to the story was easier and worth exploring instead. However I do like that the text boldens the concepts mentioned in the teaching manual. The teaching manual can be explored without the text as separate lessons plans in their own right.

Very quick read, undoubtably Lipman’s shortest philosophical novel.
Profile Image for Alexandra.
62 reviews
September 23, 2017
En este año he tenido la oportunidad de tener un acercamiento mas profundo al mundo de los niños, creo que en este tiempo he crecido considerablemente como persona, ya que he encontrado un mundo lleno de preguntas de todo tipo, en el cual tengo la oportunidad de aprender día a día.
A veces se ve a los niños como incapaces de pensar cierto tipo de situaciones que vivimos diariamente, tal vez se nos olvida que en esa etapa de la vida es cuando mas curiosidad tenemos por el mundo que nos rodea, que es el momento en que empezamos a formar nuestra identidad y darle sentido a todo lo que esta ocurriendo.
Estoy convencida que si desde chicos comenzamos a tener en cuenta todas esas inquietudes que tienen los niños y los acompañamos como una guía, vamos a tener niños que sean capaces de pensar por sí mismo y cuestionarse por lo que los rodea.
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