Customer Reviews

Maybe Yes, Maybe No: A Guide for Young Skeptics

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

MAYBE YES, MAYBE NO by Dan Barker. This is definitely a kid's only book, with annoying little characters drawn in "see it go, see it go up" style, with a dog and a few other cuddly critters as well. But, it's good stuff on how and why a skeptic thinks as he/she does that prods a kid to question in ways I never experienced growing up, at least not till I was, oh, maybe 32. (Of course I'm kidding.) Barker provides simple illustrations of what is proof, why it's unwise to believe everything you hear, how to listen carefully, ask questions, seek clear answers, display curiousity andlook for better explanations--all illustrated in an unfolding story about kids looking for ghosts. The reasoning processes that apply in the search for ghosts also are shown to apply to a skeptic look at claims for UFOs, ESP, telepathy, telekinesis, prophesy, out of body experience, dowsing, levitation, astrology, horoscopes and faith healing. The refrain throughout to the young reader is, "What do you think?" For a taste of the writing style, sample this: "Some religions teach that there is an invisible world with strange creatures like angels, demons, ghosts and dead people. Some religions teach that storms are caused by gods or devils. Or that gods or devils cause sickness, fires, earthquakes, floods, plant growth and animal growth. But skeptics try to explain these things without ignoring the rules of nature." The rules of science are explained, including different ways to check things out, tools for these purposes, the importance of being able to repeat a test, as in, "If someone says they predicted the future, ask them to do it again. If someone says they healed a sickness with magic or a prayer, ask them to do it again. If something is really true, you should be able to repeat it again and again." The bottom line, prudent response for a skeptical kid and grown ups too, according to Barker's wise little book, seems to be this when confronted for a claim of one kind or another: "Maybe yes, maybe no." Check it out--and the book, too. It's quite good.

I read this book to my kids, ages 8 and 10, and they absolutely loved it. One took it to bed that night to re-read and the other took it to school the next day. I've never seen such a strong positive reaction to a book from them. Yes, it's simplistic, but it's a kid's book; it has to be. As a parent, what i liked the most about it is the gentle manner in which difficult questions are introduced. "maybe yes, maybe no, what do you think?" We had to pause many times for thoughtful discussion. Kudos to Mr. Barker for an excellent book encouraging children to question the world around them and to try to apply scientific methods to understand it.

I read this book with my 10 year old daughter. We enjoyed several good discussions as a result of the book. We have since been incorporating "maybe yes, maybe no" into our discussions of many topics. As a parent, this book gave me a starting point in talking with her about healthy skepticism. I'm sure "maybe yes, maybe no" will come up often during this future school year as she attends 5th grade in a parochial school. I also tried reading the book with my 8 year old son and it seemed he is not quite ready to grasp it. I think I will save it for next summer's read with him. I would recommend the book for any parents who are interested in helping kids learn how to think. We live in a very religiously conservative area, and this book already has been and likely will continue to be very helpful with my attempts to balance my humanism with the hyper-religious culture here.

My 7 year old daughter loves this book, and she's really not into reading that much. I was hoping she would be interested and was very pleasantly surprised. The first half is in a comic strip format with explanations leading through the story. It is an excellent representation of what critical thinking process should be used by children when presented with extraordinary claims. (The example given is whether there is a ghost in someone's house. They ask the right questions and stick through the process to determine what had actually caused the noises, etc. ) The end of the book deals specifically with why you should be skeptical of religion. This section is clearly anti-religion.

My kids and I set down immediately and I read the book to them (5 and 10). They love the easily remembered phrase "Maybe Yes, Maybe No" and use it (on me) when I challenge them with questions about the world. The phrase helps them to think through alternative answers to questions...it makes them think. Kids will challenge their own, and others, assumptions about the way things work. A great book for kids!

I bought this book when I realized that my eight year old was beginning to be led ("beginning" is perhaps a mother's wishful thought!) by his peer group. The intent was to get him to be more skeptical in his thinking, as I believe that will serve him well in a variety of the peer pressure fronts.

My son was interested in reading the book from the first page and responded well to the bite sized text paragraphs and the bringing to life of the lesson in the illustrations below.

My young children began life with fierce curiosity. That fire still burns hot and their eagerness for knowledge and hard facts makes explaining skepticism easier. This book is remarkable how it grabbed my kids without it being mired in detail about a complex subject. Our family are Secular Humanists raising the kids on our own without the support of community or church so books like this one are a tremendous help. All around us kids are learning about "god" and "heaven" and teaching my kids seemingly against the grain goes easier when they can pick up this book to read again and again. It has sparked many a conversation that helps them see respect for others is vital but the most important thing is to hold on to what you believe and stand firm with it. I'd recommend getting this book for kids who are able to grasp the idea of needing hard facts and proof before blindly believing anything. It is simple in it's terms and illustrations. It is a helpful tool for parents to help their young beginner skeptics find their way along with you.

My wife and I enjoyed this book immensely, both previewing it before passing it along to our young son. Remarkable clarity of thought and impressively comprehensive. Maybe Yes, Maybe No is enjoyable, focused and a great learning tool. It has been used as the basis of other discussions initiated by our son, the lead character of the book being paralleled to the situation of real life people. Absolutely a wonderful book that all young people should read.

I don't have much to add to the reviews already written, except to say that my 5 year old daughter asks us to read this to her at least once a week. It's not easy-going for a child this young, but it addresses issues she encounters on a daily basis--the tooth fairy, santa claus, god, etc. We don't think we're taking the fun out of her childhood by explaining that magic is not real and that we can pretend such things as the easter bunny exist without believing they are really true. Belief in god is an especially tough one, since so many people take his existence as a given. This book has given both me and my husband--as well as our daughter--clarity in explaining why people might believe in such things and why we know better. It's never too early to help prepare our children for a lifetime of critical and reasoned thinking, to balance all the nonsense that's out there and particularly in force when children are at their most vulnerable. Thank you so much, Mr. Barker, for helping us do our job even better :)

This book follows a skeptical child through claims of a haunted house. It then goes on to explain the scientific method in very simple yet effective terms.

I particularly like the emphasis on saying "Maybe yes, maybe no" when one has not investigated a claim or cannot verify something yet. This is an intellectually honest starting point for critical thinking.

The book also very lightly touches on certain paranormal claims such as UFO's, dowsing, psychics, religion (you betchya!) and the like. It gives kids an idea what type of beliefs they will come across in the future, and even explains why people tell these stories and why others believe them, even in the face of evidence proving them false.

It is a light read, and merely an introduction to critical thinking, but it does a great job with the scientific method.

I highly recommend this book. I would have given it five stars if it delved a little deeper.