Tales for young children, and is that James Randi under that wizard hat?

I have been working on a fundraising project for the past year. The result is the book Fairy Tales, Fairly Told. It is the second critical thinking/skeptic children’s book I have written. The book is for ages 3-10, though for younger children parents will need to read the book to the child. It is my first book working with Noah Whippie who is a fantastic young illustrator.

To order a copy, please email me at fairlytold (at) gmail.com

We’re working at setting up the Amazon ordering, and it is also available at Lulu. But an email to me will get a copy in the mail quickly. (Suggested cost is $10 for the book and $2 shipping cost. However, if you can not afford a copy and would like one for the children in your life, I’ll be glad to send one along).

All money raised goes to skeptic children’s education, including free copies to the children attending Camp Inquiry this August.

These Scottish otters are sometimes mistaken for a lake monster!

Here is the forward by James Randi:

Our most excellent friend Kitty Mervine has applied her talents and her enthusiasm to turning out this book, and the art of skepticism – yes, it’s an art, believe me – has just stepped forward a few paces. One of the important needs of any basic philosophy is how to express it to another sector of our culture, to a different social or educational level, or to those of an age group which might not have encountered that sort of challenge – yet. Kitty has bravely entered the lists on behalf of this latter crowd. You hold the result in your hand.
Using “fairy stories” to encourage doubt about fairy stories would seem to be a method in conflict with itself, but it’s not. Kids are wont to let their imaginations soar, and only upon later reflection can they begin to reconsider the initial acceptance they granted to some very doubtful ideas. This book can make that bump in the road much less difficult for them to negotiate.
Note that I try to avoid mentioning the example of the “jolly old elf” I so resemble, so please forgive me; late
December finds me avoiding crowds of children lest I encourage a false belief, and I avoid saying anything that sounds like “Ho ho ho!” — I assure you…
Kitty’s use of the “fairy story” approach works so very well, in this case, to attract and hold the attention of the younger of our species, that such a trick will surely be forgiven simply because it works so well. So, get this book into as many young hands as you can, encourage the readers to think about the lessons it contains, and be prepared for the inevitable questions with which you’ll be assailed. “How do you know that’s true?” or “Are you really sure?” may be heard more frequently in your household.
And you better have answers…!
– James Randi.

Randi not only wrote a terrific introduction for the book, he also gave me a birthday cake. He really is AMAZING!

Related articles

• Once (Again) Upon a Time: Retelling Fairy Tales (addictivestory.wordpress.com)
• The JREF Scholarship and an Internet Family (two differentgirls.com)
• My Weekend Find: Fairy Tales By: Hans Christian Andersen (leajurock.wordpress.com)

Categories: Art, Family, James Randi Educational Foundatioin - JREF, Skeptic

Tags: atheist, Camp Inquiry, children, children's book, CSI, Fairly Told, Fairy Tales, fund raiser, James Randi, James Randi Educational Foundatioin - JREF, Kitty Mervine, loch ness monster, Noah Whippie, otters, paranormal, Randi, Skeptic, Skepticism, The Amazing Randi