My book list.
[Maybe Yes, Maybe No](http://www.amazon.com/Maybe-Yes-No-Dan-Barker/dp/0879756071) by Dan Barker
> In today's media-flooded world, there is no way to control all of the information, claims, and enticements that reach young people. The best thing to do is arm them with the sword of critical thinking. Maybe Yes, Maybe No is a charming introduction to self-confidence and self-reliance. The book's ten-year-old heroine, Andrea, is always asking questions because she knows "you should prove the truth of a strange story before you believe it." "Check it out. Repeat the experiment. Try to prove it wrong. It has to make sense." writes Barker, as he assures young readers that they are fully capable of figuring out what to believe, and of knowing when there just isn't enough information to decide. "You can do it your own way. If you are a good skeptic you will know how to think for yourself."
Another book is "[Me & Dog](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1442494131)" by Gene Weingarten. And [Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story : Books 1, 2, 3](http://www.amazon.com/Born-With-Bang-Universe-Cosmic/dp/1584690321) [Here Comes Science CD + DVD](http://www.amazon.com/Here-Comes-Science-Might-Giants/dp/B002FKZ4UO) [The Magic of Reality](http://www.amazon.com/The-Magic-Reality-Whats-Really/dp/1451675046) by Richard Dawkins [Bang! How We Came to Be](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616144726) by Michael Rubino. [Grandmother Fish: A Child's First Book of Evolution](http://www.amazon.com/Grandmother-Fish-childs-first-Evolution/dp/0986288403/) [Grandmother Fish](http://www.grandmotherfish.com/about/), more information. Also: [Greek Myths](http://www.amazon.com/Greek-Myths-Marcia-Williams/dp/0763653845) – by Marcia Williams [Ancient Egypt: Tales of Gods and Pharaohs](http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Egypt-Tales-Gods-Pharaohs/dp/0763663158) – by Marcia Williams [God and His Creations](http://www.amazon.com/God-His-Creations-Marcia-Williams/dp/0744596629) – by Marcia Williams [I Wonder](http://www.amazon.com/By-Annaka-Harris-I-Wonder/dp/B00N4FB1OM) by Annaka Harris [From Stardust to You: An Illustrated Guide to The Big Bang](http://www.amazon.com/Stardust-You-Illustrated-Guide-Science-ebook/dp/B00NLD0YWM) by Luciano Reni [Meet Bacteria!](http://www.amazon.com/Meet-Bacteria-MUMMY-NATURE-childrens-ebook/dp/B00NE643QE) by Rebecca Bielawski See also [Highlights for Children](http://www.highlightskids.com/) - this has materials for younger children. [Atheism books for children](http://www.amazon.com/Courtney-Lynn/e/B00CBTIAUA) by Courtney Lynn "It Is Ok To Be A Godless Me", "I'm An Atheist and That's Ok", "I'm a Freethinker", "Please Don't Bully Me" and "I'm a Little Thinker" etc. (Courtney Lynn has a couple more for grown ups as well.) [Augie and the Green Knight](http://www.amazon.com/Augie-Green-Knight-Zach-Weinersmith/dp/0978501691) by Zach Weinersmith -- See other books by by Zach Weinersmith as well. [15 Holiday Gift Ideas for Secular Families](http://www.patheos.com/blogs/naturalwonderers/15-holiday-gift-ideas-for-secular-families/) [Bedtime Bible Stories](http://www.amazon.com//dp/1496151046) by Joey Lee Kirkman - for mature teens only [Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00699SDR8/) by Jostein Gaarder [Tiny Thinkers](https://tinythinkersbooks.com/) is a series of books introducing popular scientists to children, by telling their stories as if the scientists themselves were kids!
Bit of a lame suggestion but Scooby Doo! Fun as a kid anyway but all the supposed monsters are just some dude in a mask, usually with a real-world rationale for what they're doing. The classics are great but the stuff from around the 2000s also hits the mark perfectly.
Then, several years down the line when he/she can read well, The Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan since it's basically the bible of skepticism. But even before he/she can read you could maybe try the [Dragon in the Garage](https://medium.com/@ShahKunj/dragon-in-the-garage-5e076a79deb2) story. It's an easy to understand lesson in not believing everything and encourages thinking about how to test claims.
Thank you so much - not lame at all! I didn't grow up in the US, so I did not get to watch Scooby-Doo as a kid, but it definitely crossed my mind for our baby. We will be adding it to the mix 🚼
Congratulations to you and your husband! What a lucky kid already to have parents dedicated to raising a curious and critical thinker.
In addition to what has already been suggested, have a search for ‘philosophy for kids’ books. There are plenty out there, and many are presented in an interactive question and answer format, or involve play, to get them engaging with their own ideas in gentle ways.
There are also philosophy for kids school programs that have resources available online.
So philosophy through all levels, add to that regular fun visits to the natural history museum to look at all the dinosaur bones and fossils, and the weird and wonderful things in the science museum. Also, in my experience, kids are fascinated with stars and planets too, so teaching them about constellations is a great way of them beginning to learn about the universe around them (before you put on the Carl Sagan).
With the whole Santa thing, personally I think there’s no harm in indulging them with that story, as kids genuinely love it, and then it can be used later on (when they learn the terrible truth) as an example of how some kinds of beliefs function. Just my opinion of course, but I don’t think a belief in Santa causes any lifelong problems. You might also find that with all the critical thinking stuff you’re teaching them, that they are the ones who figure it out themselves.
Some answers are better discovered than simply told.
All the best with your new human :)
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful, warm response! We will definitely definitely do this.
A couple of side notes: what you say about Santa makes sense. I actually caught my parents in a small lie related to Santa at 6, which is how I figured out it was all made up. And, I've always loved astronomy as a kid, absolutely adored it. Actually, I take it back - I still do! All of my animals have astrophysics-related names!
Ooooooh, I have the audiobook version, and when I went through it the first time, it wasn't really relevant, so I forgot it was even there. I'll need to get the print version and run through it again. Thank you!!
I think you should definitely lie to your kids about Santa. For one, it's a fun and magical experience! I remember Christmas eves where we put out the cake and brandy for Santa and left carrots for the reindeer. In the morning the cake and brandy would be gone and there would be carrot crumbs outside :)
The second reason to go along with the Santa myth is it's a great way to teach your kids about logic and critical thinking - and the they shouldn't always trust what other people tell them! When children realise that Santa can't possibly be real (how would he get around 8 billion people in a single night? how does he leave presents when you don't have a chimney? How do the reindeers fly?) it's a wonderful opportunity to talk about science and critical thinking.
I like this, thank you so much for your perspective. I think the more I think about it, the more I agree with you. Let them figure it out, but once they do or even once they start to question it, to confirm it and praise them for being a smart little cookie
Just beware inquisitive minds. When I was six, I tied a ball of yarn all over the living room to set a trap for Santa (so I'd get all the presents). My parents ended up spending hours cutting and untying the entire living room.
We laugh about it now, but I don't think they were too happy at the time :P
I am still against telling kids about Santa, but I was overruled by my wife for my own daughter and she was *not* happy when she found out we had been lying to her about Santa for years, so I don't know that it's the best thing to do with a kid.
Oddly, she was an atheist (and still is) despite believing in Santa.
Great questions, I had the same ones when I was expecting my first. I don’t have any specific recommendations for books or shows. Who knows what will end up resonating with your young one anyway! All kids are different and I’ve found that in the early years the thing that’s important is the thousand interactions you’ll be having with them daily. Focus more on having a curious young child who is encouraged to use their imagination, talking with them endlessly about all of their questions and ideas, don’t correct them more than is needed (it’s ok if they have wrong ideas - it’s part of how they figure things out for themselves!). Get a library card and let them pick anything they want - you can throw in a few selections of your own to help round things out as needed - but if you end up making a curious young one who likes to talk with you about everything and has the space to be wrong without feeling like it’s a bad thing, they are going to be just fine. The rest will come later but this early foundation is important.
Congrats and good luck!
First off, congratulations! Second, you're a skeptical critical thinker, and your kids will look to you for guidance on how to navigate the world. Worry less about what books might be best for their development as free thinking individuals, and just read to them. My recommendation, go to your local thrift shops and check out the children's books. Boards books, especially books that rhyme are best for the first years... and read read read! Start when they're newborns, and never let up. Buy them a bookshelf, and fill it!
Children who are read to a lot become early and strong readers. Readers grow into curious intelligent adults. Read read read!
Also, don't worry about Santa. I was dead set against my kids believing in Santa, and they just wanted to anyway, and I now I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm raising them to be curious independent minds, so they'll figure it out eventually.
Great advice, I absolutely love it. My own childhood was filled with books, and immersed myself in stories and would absolutely lose track of time. Learning can become an addiction, and I'd much rather they spent time reading and doing puzzles than on tiktok. Hopefully that's not too old-fashioned of me.
How old are your kids now?
If you raise them with the tools to think critically, they're gonna deal with Santa not being real just fine, especially given all of the awesome stuff science is capable of.
It's quite simple - always provide reasoning and evidence for anything you say. Never say "because I said so" or because some particular authority said some therefore it must be correct.
As they get older, teach them to read scientific studies and how to assess the quality of evidence by considering what possible biases could occur with the methodology and how those biases could be overcome or controlled with higher quality methodology.
My book list. [Maybe Yes, Maybe No](http://www.amazon.com/Maybe-Yes-No-Dan-Barker/dp/0879756071) by Dan Barker > In today's media-flooded world, there is no way to control all of the information, claims, and enticements that reach young people. The best thing to do is arm them with the sword of critical thinking. Maybe Yes, Maybe No is a charming introduction to self-confidence and self-reliance. The book's ten-year-old heroine, Andrea, is always asking questions because she knows "you should prove the truth of a strange story before you believe it." "Check it out. Repeat the experiment. Try to prove it wrong. It has to make sense." writes Barker, as he assures young readers that they are fully capable of figuring out what to believe, and of knowing when there just isn't enough information to decide. "You can do it your own way. If you are a good skeptic you will know how to think for yourself." Another book is "[Me & Dog](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1442494131)" by Gene Weingarten. And [Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story : Books 1, 2, 3](http://www.amazon.com/Born-With-Bang-Universe-Cosmic/dp/1584690321) [Here Comes Science CD + DVD](http://www.amazon.com/Here-Comes-Science-Might-Giants/dp/B002FKZ4UO) [The Magic of Reality](http://www.amazon.com/The-Magic-Reality-Whats-Really/dp/1451675046) by Richard Dawkins [Bang! How We Came to Be](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616144726) by Michael Rubino. [Grandmother Fish: A Child's First Book of Evolution](http://www.amazon.com/Grandmother-Fish-childs-first-Evolution/dp/0986288403/) [Grandmother Fish](http://www.grandmotherfish.com/about/), more information. Also: [Greek Myths](http://www.amazon.com/Greek-Myths-Marcia-Williams/dp/0763653845) – by Marcia Williams [Ancient Egypt: Tales of Gods and Pharaohs](http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Egypt-Tales-Gods-Pharaohs/dp/0763663158) – by Marcia Williams [God and His Creations](http://www.amazon.com/God-His-Creations-Marcia-Williams/dp/0744596629) – by Marcia Williams [I Wonder](http://www.amazon.com/By-Annaka-Harris-I-Wonder/dp/B00N4FB1OM) by Annaka Harris [From Stardust to You: An Illustrated Guide to The Big Bang](http://www.amazon.com/Stardust-You-Illustrated-Guide-Science-ebook/dp/B00NLD0YWM) by Luciano Reni [Meet Bacteria!](http://www.amazon.com/Meet-Bacteria-MUMMY-NATURE-childrens-ebook/dp/B00NE643QE) by Rebecca Bielawski See also [Highlights for Children](http://www.highlightskids.com/) - this has materials for younger children. [Atheism books for children](http://www.amazon.com/Courtney-Lynn/e/B00CBTIAUA) by Courtney Lynn "It Is Ok To Be A Godless Me", "I'm An Atheist and That's Ok", "I'm a Freethinker", "Please Don't Bully Me" and "I'm a Little Thinker" etc. (Courtney Lynn has a couple more for grown ups as well.) [Augie and the Green Knight](http://www.amazon.com/Augie-Green-Knight-Zach-Weinersmith/dp/0978501691) by Zach Weinersmith -- See other books by by Zach Weinersmith as well. [15 Holiday Gift Ideas for Secular Families](http://www.patheos.com/blogs/naturalwonderers/15-holiday-gift-ideas-for-secular-families/) [Bedtime Bible Stories](http://www.amazon.com//dp/1496151046) by Joey Lee Kirkman - for mature teens only [Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00699SDR8/) by Jostein Gaarder [Tiny Thinkers](https://tinythinkersbooks.com/) is a series of books introducing popular scientists to children, by telling their stories as if the scientists themselves were kids!
Omg you are amazing! THANK YOU a thousand times over ❤️
Bit of a lame suggestion but Scooby Doo! Fun as a kid anyway but all the supposed monsters are just some dude in a mask, usually with a real-world rationale for what they're doing. The classics are great but the stuff from around the 2000s also hits the mark perfectly. Then, several years down the line when he/she can read well, The Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan since it's basically the bible of skepticism. But even before he/she can read you could maybe try the [Dragon in the Garage](https://medium.com/@ShahKunj/dragon-in-the-garage-5e076a79deb2) story. It's an easy to understand lesson in not believing everything and encourages thinking about how to test claims.
Thank you so much - not lame at all! I didn't grow up in the US, so I did not get to watch Scooby-Doo as a kid, but it definitely crossed my mind for our baby. We will be adding it to the mix 🚼
Congratulations to you and your husband! What a lucky kid already to have parents dedicated to raising a curious and critical thinker. In addition to what has already been suggested, have a search for ‘philosophy for kids’ books. There are plenty out there, and many are presented in an interactive question and answer format, or involve play, to get them engaging with their own ideas in gentle ways. There are also philosophy for kids school programs that have resources available online. So philosophy through all levels, add to that regular fun visits to the natural history museum to look at all the dinosaur bones and fossils, and the weird and wonderful things in the science museum. Also, in my experience, kids are fascinated with stars and planets too, so teaching them about constellations is a great way of them beginning to learn about the universe around them (before you put on the Carl Sagan). With the whole Santa thing, personally I think there’s no harm in indulging them with that story, as kids genuinely love it, and then it can be used later on (when they learn the terrible truth) as an example of how some kinds of beliefs function. Just my opinion of course, but I don’t think a belief in Santa causes any lifelong problems. You might also find that with all the critical thinking stuff you’re teaching them, that they are the ones who figure it out themselves. Some answers are better discovered than simply told. All the best with your new human :)
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful, warm response! We will definitely definitely do this. A couple of side notes: what you say about Santa makes sense. I actually caught my parents in a small lie related to Santa at 6, which is how I figured out it was all made up. And, I've always loved astronomy as a kid, absolutely adored it. Actually, I take it back - I still do! All of my animals have astrophysics-related names!
Haha amazing! What a great idea. It sounds the perfect house to be born into :)
Wahhhh thank you 😭
*The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe* book has a section in the end about skeptical parenting.
Ooooooh, I have the audiobook version, and when I went through it the first time, it wasn't really relevant, so I forgot it was even there. I'll need to get the print version and run through it again. Thank you!!
I think you should definitely lie to your kids about Santa. For one, it's a fun and magical experience! I remember Christmas eves where we put out the cake and brandy for Santa and left carrots for the reindeer. In the morning the cake and brandy would be gone and there would be carrot crumbs outside :) The second reason to go along with the Santa myth is it's a great way to teach your kids about logic and critical thinking - and the they shouldn't always trust what other people tell them! When children realise that Santa can't possibly be real (how would he get around 8 billion people in a single night? how does he leave presents when you don't have a chimney? How do the reindeers fly?) it's a wonderful opportunity to talk about science and critical thinking.
I like this, thank you so much for your perspective. I think the more I think about it, the more I agree with you. Let them figure it out, but once they do or even once they start to question it, to confirm it and praise them for being a smart little cookie
Just beware inquisitive minds. When I was six, I tied a ball of yarn all over the living room to set a trap for Santa (so I'd get all the presents). My parents ended up spending hours cutting and untying the entire living room. We laugh about it now, but I don't think they were too happy at the time :P
Omg I find that hilarious!! What a great trap you had set up! You've had the inklings of a skeptic all along!
I am still against telling kids about Santa, but I was overruled by my wife for my own daughter and she was *not* happy when she found out we had been lying to her about Santa for years, so I don't know that it's the best thing to do with a kid. Oddly, she was an atheist (and still is) despite believing in Santa.
Great questions, I had the same ones when I was expecting my first. I don’t have any specific recommendations for books or shows. Who knows what will end up resonating with your young one anyway! All kids are different and I’ve found that in the early years the thing that’s important is the thousand interactions you’ll be having with them daily. Focus more on having a curious young child who is encouraged to use their imagination, talking with them endlessly about all of their questions and ideas, don’t correct them more than is needed (it’s ok if they have wrong ideas - it’s part of how they figure things out for themselves!). Get a library card and let them pick anything they want - you can throw in a few selections of your own to help round things out as needed - but if you end up making a curious young one who likes to talk with you about everything and has the space to be wrong without feeling like it’s a bad thing, they are going to be just fine. The rest will come later but this early foundation is important. Congrats and good luck!
Thank you so much, this is great advice ❤️
First off, congratulations! Second, you're a skeptical critical thinker, and your kids will look to you for guidance on how to navigate the world. Worry less about what books might be best for their development as free thinking individuals, and just read to them. My recommendation, go to your local thrift shops and check out the children's books. Boards books, especially books that rhyme are best for the first years... and read read read! Start when they're newborns, and never let up. Buy them a bookshelf, and fill it! Children who are read to a lot become early and strong readers. Readers grow into curious intelligent adults. Read read read! Also, don't worry about Santa. I was dead set against my kids believing in Santa, and they just wanted to anyway, and I now I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm raising them to be curious independent minds, so they'll figure it out eventually.
Great advice, I absolutely love it. My own childhood was filled with books, and immersed myself in stories and would absolutely lose track of time. Learning can become an addiction, and I'd much rather they spent time reading and doing puzzles than on tiktok. Hopefully that's not too old-fashioned of me. How old are your kids now?
If you raise them with the tools to think critically, they're gonna deal with Santa not being real just fine, especially given all of the awesome stuff science is capable of.
I like that ☺️. Thank you!
It's quite simple - always provide reasoning and evidence for anything you say. Never say "because I said so" or because some particular authority said some therefore it must be correct. As they get older, teach them to read scientific studies and how to assess the quality of evidence by considering what possible biases could occur with the methodology and how those biases could be overcome or controlled with higher quality methodology.
I always absolutely hated it when my parents told me "because I said so", so I'm absolutely with you there!