Gareth B. Matthews, The Child’s Philosopher, by Maughn Rollins Gregory and Megan Jane Laverty (2022), Routledge.

Abstract

In the latest publication from their series on the founders of the Philosophy for Children (P4C) movement, Maughn Rollins Gregory and Megan Jane Laverty (2022) have offered us an exceptional gateway into the life and work of Gareth B Matthews. Matthews’ work can be divided into three distinct areas of research—philosophy and children’s literature, philosophy for children, and philosophy of childhood—which Gregory and Laverty distribute across the volume’s five parts. Each part includes representative publications by Matthews preceded by commentary and critique from experts in the field. In this review, I will evaluate this work primarily from the perspective of a practitioner in the P4C movement and explain why it is a valuable resource for anyone with such a relationship to the field.