Announcing PFS Books
Welcome to PFS Books, a logical extension of the work I've been doing for over twenty years in schools, all focused on improving thinking. Take a look at the Philosophy for Schools website to find out more about this.
All of the books that eventually appear here will have some opportunity to do what most schools I've worked with will remember me for — to leave the book behind and make a 'leap into life', thinking (and talking) about some aspect of the lives we lead.
There are so many wonderful children's stories and picture books out there that provide for this, but it's sometimes not quite so obvious. For example, have you ever read Goldilocks and the Three Bears and had an interesting discussion on whether it's ever right to take something that doesn't belong to you? Or Where the Wild Things Are and wondered what makes something 'wild'?
None of this would, or should, take away the enjoyment of reading. In fact, I would say it enhances it, as we appreciate even more the richness of the story and the illustrations. In every PFS book, the leap into life will be a little more obvious, but without taking away from the story. For example, in Meet the Moggies, the first in a series of books set on and around the Mull of Galloway in Scotland and illustrated by the wonderful Jane Fraser, readers are encouraged to notice things more. The great Leonardo da Vinci said ‘Develop your senses: especially learn how to see', and this first Moggies book points us towards this.
There'll be more Moggies adventures coming soon, and maybe one day you'll meet Gaudy the Giant, or the Farmer and the Oak, or the little girl who spends her time Remembering Granny. Keep your eye out to see if this fledgling project grows, but in the meantime, look out for the ‘leap into life' in other books you read with children.
If you would like to be notified of new arrivals or would like to leave a review, don't hesitate to contact me.
— Nick Chandley
