M. D. Usher

Most dogs in this world are content with their doggy lives, playing dead and burying bones, but Diogenes was a dog of a different sort – he wanted to become his own master. So he buried his collar and leash, left his cozy doghouse, and ran off to the great city of Athens, Greece. There he took upon himself the role of “watchdog” to those around him, warning of life’s moral pitfalls and showing by his own surprising example the path to an enlightened way of being.

Rounding out this colorful picture book biography about a revolutionary thinker, a two-page author’s note about Diogenes elucidates the connection between the book’s doggy hero and the historical figure, who became a pauper in order to live like a king.… (más)

When it's about Socrates. I saw Wise Guy: the Life and Philosophy of Socrates by Mark David Usher somewhere online recently and thought

H'mmmmm. A picture book about Socrates? How odd. I should check this out.

It helped that the cover shows this cherubic little guy with a laurel crown (or very kinky hair...I can't decide which) on his head, lounging atop a Greek temple looking very sweet. Now, if anything says "Socrates" it's sweet and cherubic, right? H'mmmmm. H'mmmmmm. H'mmmmm.

Anyway, I put it on hold borrowed it from Fairport. I opened it, admired the illustrations, then began to read. And knew immediately that the author knew nothing about writing for children. (If you know Socrates or have attempted to read this book, you'll get the pun in the last sentence.)

Now maybe I'm too far removed from reading picture books to my kids, but really. The reviews recommend this book for "budding philosophers" ages 8 and up. Maybe my kids are a little further down on the philosophy scale than some, but my recollection of the extent of their attempts at philosophy at age 8 involved questions like "Why do I always get stuck on the soccer team that never wins?" and "How come peas taste like dirt?"

There are just some subjects that should remain in the realm of adulthood, and Greek philosophy is one of them.… (más)