A rather large polar bear has taken up residence on a very small mouse’s chair. The mouse does everything he can think of to get the bear to move, pushing and shoving, staring him out, luring with delicious fruit… The mouse even tries frightening the bear by jumping out of a box (in his rather unsightly green underpants) to no avail. The bear won’t budge. Then the tables are turned as the bear reveals his endangered status and suddenly we become unsure of what’s right and what’s wrong.

Quite often with picture books for the best philosophical questions it’s best to stop before the end of the story, before all the loose ends are tidied up. This is one of those books. Personally I would stop reading just after the bear reveals his endangered status.

Do all creatures have rights?

Do smaller, less powerful creatures have less rights than bigger, more powerful creatures?

Does this apply to younger creatures, what about children?

Do children have the right to property?

What does it mean to have power over someone else?

Should creatures other than humans have legal rights?

Should habitats have rights? Why?