Anyone help with dd's book requests?

[habbibu]

She's just gone into P2 in Aug (yr1) and will be 6 in Oct - decent reader. she has, rather getting ahead of herself, written a list for Santa, including the following:

A book that tells you where words come from

A book Is God Really Real (or, in the second version Is God really really real?)

The first one I can start on - except that most children's dictionaries don't really have much in the way of etymology, it seems. anyone know of one? Free access to the OED via library card means that we can always find answers together, but it would be nice to get her a dictionary that does a bit about word origins?

And as for the second??? We're atheists, and I want her to have as open a mind as possible, but obviously she's asked me what I believe, and I've told her the truth, while pointing out that lots of people she loves and trusts do believe in God. Is there such a thing as a neutral book on this subject, for her age group or a wee bit older?

Ah, scratch first - Oxford Children's dictionary seems to fit the bill. Maybe a bit old for her?

Oxford children's dictionary is very good. We got it for DS, same age. Yes, a bit old really but he loves it and it will last for years!
Not sure about the God book, do Usborne do anything?!

The second one - if such a book exists I'm ordering it for my dd - sounds like a fantastic choice and your dd sounds v bright and analytical for her age.

A long those lines I've bought dd a brilliant book called war and peace (not the war and peace) which explains military and political conflict from a child's perspective - it pulls no punches either hence I bought it on the spot even though dd is 3 and wont read it for years

Oh, good, thanks Tgger.

Crackcrack - thanks! Didn't realise she'd been mulling it over quite so much. The rest of her list is full of toy pets and a slanket. so that evens things out a bit. That book sounds ace - do you have the author's name?

Usborne don't, as it turns out - just looked. They should, though.

Bought ds this when he was asking the same questions. Looks like they've got some second hand copies available.

www.amazon.co.uk/Philosophy-Files-Stephen-Law/dp/1842550535/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347139646&sr=1-2

I just looked it up for you it's published by child's play and the author is called m. Twinn - it's on amazon

Oh, that looks great! Is it quite neutral in approach? But philosophy, of course. Should have thought of that. She's also talking about vegetarianism atm too. Thanks so much.

Thanks, crackcrack. This is brilliant. Now, anyone any good on junior slankets?

What about Hitchens' "God is not Great"?... you could read it and abridge it for her...

or you could wait till nearer christmas, when she will have changed her mind and asked for something different

It's her birthday soon - should have mentioned that. Anyway, I thought they were quite cool requests.

Hmm, Bintang. possibly A Step Too Far.

There is also Sophie's works for phillosophy - though I dunno if it would work at age 6 it was a while back i read it.

mm. I was never quite sure about that - quite liked it in some ways, but just... mmm.

For the religion one, how about something lik What do you believe? Child friendly guide to various faiths although I haven't read it - but it looks pretty suitable.

Oh, thank you. Would like to have a look at that one.

Those suggestions look good- am interested for DS too, but perhaps a bit old/developed for DS nearly 6. I'd rather he could read it himself and had a hope of understanding rather than me having to pick bits/help him through it. Think there could be a gap in the market Usborne!

Didn't Richard Dawkins do a children's book? The only one I can find is this but I thought there was another one.

Yeah, but although I'm an atheist I want dd and ds to make their own decision, and I can't imagine that a book by Dawkins would be as neutral as I'd like - in exactly the same way that I wouldn't buy a book on "is God real" written by a priest, for example.

I do think I was looking for philosophy, and have ordered the Simon Law book. YY to gap in the market for philosophy for wee ones - it's the questions they ask anyway.