Who Are You?
What kind of being am I? This story invites children to think about where a person's preciousness comes from, beyond appearance, talent, or possessions.
Mango Lion
Philosophy Stories
A thinking-skills picture-book series that introduces identity, values, worldview, happiness, and wisdom through child-friendly stories and philosophy letters. Open-ended writing prompts encourage deeper reflection after reading.
Ages 3-6
30 books
5 sample previews
Step 3
Book List
Review the books in this series and open available sample previews.
You Are More Beautiful Than a Chrysanthemum
If the whole universe moves to bring a single chrysanthemum into bloom, how precious is a child who is even more beautiful than that flower? This story encourages reflection on the value of each person.
The Rice Cooker That Became a Dandelion Flower Shop
An abandoned rice cooker becomes a dandelion flower shop, inviting children to think about what makes each being meaningful and how everyone can find a needed place in the world.
A Picnic on Planet Earth
How should we live? This philosophical story invites children to think about living without regret, so that when their picnic on Planet Earth comes to an end, they can look back and call it beautiful, and say goodbye to loved ones with peace.
What Do People Live By?
What is inside the human heart? What can people not know? What do people truly live by? This story opens a philosophical conversation about how we choose to live.
The Allegory of the Cave
Based on the classic allegory of the cave, this story asks what we would do if we were trapped inside a cave, and how we might change after seeing the true world outside.
The Hedgehog and the Rabbit
A philosophical story about fair competition and a just society. When the hedgehog wins a race by deceiving the rabbit, children are invited to ask whether an unfair victory can ever be justified.
A Slap Returned
How can fair competition and a just society be built? After Arimo slaps a judge who made an unfair ruling, the story invites children to think about justice, conflict, and responsibility.
A Shameful Victory
At a forest singing contest, which bird wins, and by what method? This story encourages children to ask whether only the result matters, or whether the process matters too.
Who Should Become Chief?
What qualities make a good leader? In an Indigenous village, three young people must bring back the most precious thing in the world to become the new chief. The story explores leadership and values.
The Prince and the Flower Seed
A king says he will pass the throne to the prince who best cares for a flower seed. Why does he set this test, and which of the three princes becomes king? The story explores honesty and leadership.
The Golden-Horned Deer King
This story explores the qualities of a good leader and the meaning of true leadership. When a king hunts deer recklessly, the golden-horned deer king steps forward to protect his herd.
Who Would You Choose to Live With?
What do we need to live happily? When three old men named Money, Success, and Love ask to be invited in, the story asks children which one they would choose.
The Greatest Gift
The birds complain that their wings are heavy, not realizing they are the greatest gift they have received. This story helps children think about gratitude, perspective, and the meaning of happiness.
Who Is the Richest?
Passengers on a grand ship boast about who is richest, but when pirates take everything away, the question changes. This story invites children to consider what true wealth really means.
Small Stature, Great Wisdom
In ancient China, a short, plain-looking minister named Yanzi outwits a king who looks down on him. This story introduces children to wisdom that is not measured by appearance.
Why Did Gandhi Throw Away His Other Shoe?
Can we live happily together? Gandhi loses one shoe while boarding a train, then throws the other one after it. Why does he do that?
The Man Trapped in a Shadow
Can we live happily together? Mr. Kicker tricks the islanders into buying his goods. Why do they confine him to the shade of a tree instead of putting him in prison?
Kamal, the Boastful Camel
Does honesty put us at a disadvantage? Kamal the camel boasts that he is ten times stronger than anyone else. What happens to Kamal, and how does he change after discovering the freedom that comes with honesty?
Words and the Three Filters
Does honesty put us at a disadvantage? Lula is always spreading strange rumors, so her friends begin to avoid her. But things are different now. What happened?
Just One More Time
How can we overcome temptation? A fox comes up with a trick to eat a skylark: one feather in exchange for one worm. What happens to the skylark after it keeps trading feathers for easy food?
Friendship Carved in Stone
How do we make friends? Jose and Rahal write a friend's mistake in the sand, but carve a friend's kindness into stone. Why do they do that?
Who Should Bell the Cat?
Does honesty put us at a disadvantage? The mice gather to put a bell around the cat's neck and decide by majority vote who should do it. Is this really the best decision?
The Baby Elephant and Me
How should humans approach nature? What do people do to protect a baby elephant, and what does true protection mean when we live alongside nature?
Does the Eagle Leader Have Scars?
A reflective story about the strength to overcome hardship, built around the idea that birds that fly high often carry many scars.
The Frog in the Milk Pail
Three frogs fall into a pail of milk, but only the persistent frog survives. This story invites children to think about perseverance and the strength to keep going through hardship.
The Hollow Walnut
Where does the strength to overcome hardship come from? A well-filled walnut must endure rough weather and drought before it ripens. What would happen if a farmer could control the weather however he liked?
Seeds of Hope
Where does the strength to overcome hardship come from? Nelson Mandela spent many years in prison while fighting for the human rights of Black South Africans. What gave him the strength to keep going through deep despair and eventually become president?
What Is Outside the Well?
How can we develop a sound understanding of the world? Frogs living in a well go out to see the world at different times. One sees the sun, one sees the sunset, and one sees the moon. Which frog is right?
You Are Not Always Right
How can we develop a sound understanding of the world? A troublemaker tries to break up two close friends by walking between them while wearing a hat that is red on one side and blue on the other. What happens when each friend sees a different color?