Anyone out there able to recommend good reads for young kids (up to 5 or 6) with libertarian themes?.
You must be logged in.
You must be logged in.
Books for Kids
Anyone out there able to recommend good reads for young kids (up to 5 or 6) with libertarian themes?.
A mature kid could handle Watership Down, maybe as a listener if it’s too large. It’s a novel, though really a series of stories, about a group of rabbits leaving (IE, seceding) their Warren to start anew. It teaches individualism, leadership, offers lessons in life and death and conflict resolution, and is a fantastic, mesmerizing story. Takes Disney to town. I have friends who read it as kids and still fawn over it.
Peter and Andrew Schiff have at least one that is about explaining economic concept in a funny way using a few guys on an island
Thanks for the recommendation. The only one I could find on Amazon was “How an Economy Grows and Why It Crashes ” by the Schiff brothers. Seems to be a light-hearted discussion of economics, is that the one?
“ABCs of Anarchy”
“A Rule is to Break”
These are books that you need to read with your children, or at least need to be around while they’re reading so that they can discuss them with you.
Thanks Michael,
I have finished “The Creature from Jekyll Island”, it is well written and illustrated and I am happy to add my recommendation. My audience was a bit younger than the age guide (just turned 5) but there was enough to capture his imagination and start him thinking.
Next we read “The Food Truck Fiasco”.
The Tuttle Twins series was hard to get on Amazon but still available at Mises.org.
Thanks Michael. I will try the Tuttle Twins, I have heard the author interviewed on Tom Woods and they sound promising. I have a copy of the Three Lads, it’s ok but Murphy gets a bit tongue tied when trying to explain fiat currency and inflation and kids tend to lose interest. Perhaps when they are older.
Hi Rob. I’m starting a free library at our house and looking for younger books to include, so thanks for opening the discussion. One book I recently found is Breaking Stalin’s Nose, which I believe Tom Woods discussed recently. It’s suggested reading age is above what you’re asking (9-12), but given the lack of titles I wanted to still mention it to you.
Thanks Michael, I had forgotten about that one but worth getting for later on. I liked the part of the interview where he describes how they would sing patriotic songs whilst queuing for the toilet! – life’s little pleasures in paradise.
Not sure what age group it fits — probably older again — but Amazon recommended to me a newer book Avaritia: A Fable that looks interesting. Haven’t read it yet, but figured I’d mention for later or in case anyone else looking to expand their lists.
Hey Rob, I like the book, “The adventures of Jonathan Gullible” by Ken Schoolland. I have read some to my six year old granddaughter.
Cross posting my summary review of Avaritia: A Fable from another discussion group below, but wanted to provide an update here as well. Definitely not for the 5-6 age range as there are several fairly violent rodent deaths and some discussion around the desire for female “comfort”, but still something that could be a valuable resource for older kids and even adults.
I finished the fable today, and I remain very, very high on recommending this to everyone.
Similar to Animal Farm with its use of animals to explore ideas, I actually found it more reminiscent of Atlas Shrugged in its plot. It’s definitely a much easier read though at 200 pages, and there is a religious/moral undercurrent that clearly sets it apart from Rand.
The story is extremely libertarian in nature, but it’s mostly implicit by the unfolding of events; there are some clear lessons provided by the rats, but there is nothing in here to suggest the author is particularly familiar with economic theory or libertarian philosophy. It’s an organic exploration of what freedom is and what it isn’t — and where different interpretations of freedom lead.
I purchased the paperback for $7 but finished my free Kindle copy before it could get here. I really think I’ll buy another 3-4 paperback copies to share with the office and others. For anyone reading this who wants to check it out, the Kindle version looks like it is only $0.99 right now.
This looks promising, I’d like to hear from anyone who reads it. http://www.amazon.com/Capitalism-Kids-Growing-Your-Boss/dp/0942617355 by Karl Hess
Still outside your 5-6 age range (Amazon says 9-11), but there’s a decent libertarian vibe to “The Saddest Little Robot,” by Brian Gage with illustrations by Kathryn Otoshi. Another roll of the dice for our Little Free Library that I feel pretty good about after reading. Freedom is the dominant theme, but a motivated parent could paint an economic lesson as well between the productive Drudgebots and the more parasitic Halobots who consume without producing.
Don’t forget about the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, especially for girls. The series starts with Laura at about five years of age.
I tend to go for the non-didactic styles.
* I agree with Leanne’s suggestion of the Little House series by Wilder.
* Dr Suess depending on the title but most have solid messages
* Shel Silverstein ~~ cool poetry with creative, out-of-the-box thinking except I didn’t feel comfortable with “The Giving Tree” especially for children
* I enjoyed Rudyard Kipling’s stories. “The Cat Who Walked By Himself” and “Riki Tiki Tavi” were particular favorites of mine. Kipling’s stories introduce the idea of alternate viewpoints and whimsy. Entertaining the notion that there are several possible explanations for a phenomenon (the “Just So” stories) and that one doesn’t HAVE to have a single definite conclusion, is, imo, an essential lesson of life.
* Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit series for the point that actions have consequences.
I tend to go for the non-didactic styles.
* I agree with Leanne’s suggestion of the Little House series by Wilder.
* Dr Suess depending on the title but most have solid messages
* Shel Silverstein ~~ cool poetry with creative, out-of-the-box thinking except I didn’t feel comfortable with “The Giving Tree” especially for children
* I enjoyed Rudyard Kipling’s stories. “The Cat Who Walked By Himself” and “Riki Tiki Tavi” were particular favorites of mine. Kipling’s stories introduce the idea of alternate viewpoints and whimsy. Entertaining the notion that there are several possible explanations for a phenomenon (the “Just So” stories) and that one doesn’t HAVE to have a single definite conclusion, is, imo, an essential lesson of life.
* Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit series for the point that actions have consequences.
* The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton was one of my favorites when I was 5 yo and older. It has several valuable messages tucked inside it.
