Helen Bennett.  Humanism, What’s That? A Book for Curious Kids. ^[1]  Prometheus Books, 2005.  77 pages.  Age 10 to 14.

Summary – After a classmate ends up in a coma due to a serious accident, several students suggest that the class join in prayer for her recovery.  Their teacher cites the separation of church and state, and the kids become defensive.  (I think teachers who don’t believe in God should be fired.)  They extend their dialog into after school hours, focusing on the general principles of capital-h Humanism.  Topics covered include higher powers, good and evil, the afterlife, and various ethical stances.

Yes – This book definitely meets a need.  Search your library’s catalog, and find out how many books about Humanism are in the children’s section.  If your answer is “tons” please leave me a comment with the titles, as I’d love to read them.  But, I’m guessing your answer will range from “none” to “not many.”  And still, this book is more than just the only thing out there.  I’d go so far as to say that it’s good, and it covers a lot of ground.

My favorite passage in this book takes place when one of the kids asks, “Can I be a Humanist?”  The teacher responds, “You should know about all your choices and then choose your beliefs wisely, when you are grown up.”  I love that. ^[2]

No – There were a few factors that detracted from the overall message.

• The dialogue didn’t seem natural at all, like the characters were little adults instead of kids.
• Not enough time was spent validating other perspectives, resulting in what seemed to be a sales pitch for Humanism, rather than a neutral introduction.
• Some things seemed extremely out of place.  Like the kid who says she wants to be a nurse when she grows up, and the teacher tells her to aim higher…huh?  Not to mention the two pages spent talking about abortion. ^[3]

Freestyle – The flaws are minor, and if anything they suggest that this book is a good candidate for adult intervention.  Much of it could be used with children as young as seven, and it includes suggested activities and discussion questions.

More info – If you’re interested in Humanism and what Humanists stand for, it’s all one one page!  Humanism and Its Aspirations, also known as the Humanist Manifesto III, lists and explains their six guiding principles.  Regardless of your beliefs, it’s worth a read.  The continuation of my favorite passage (above) of Humanism, What’s That? reads, “Anyone of any religion can live by humanistic values.”

^[1]  I can’t tell you how much I want the comma in the title to be a question mark.  Are we supposed to be addressing humanism?  Hey, Humanism, what’s that over there?

^[2]  At the risk of getting personal, that’s what I want for my own kids.

^[3]  It got pretty specific—the exact moment when life begins—and didn’t seem in the spirit of the third Humanist manifesto, the one that is supposed to be general and inclusive, rather than specific and exclusionary.