Dexter's Drawings: Are They Art?

How do we teach children and adults to be discerning in their judgements? The picture book of Dexter's Drawings is a way to discuss how making thoughtful judgments can be a key to success.

One one level, Drexter's Drawings challenges the reader to evaluate fourteen drawings of an eleven year old boy to see if they qualify as art. The accompanying verses engage readers from age seven onward to grapple with the images and discuss their conclusions with peers who may have differing interpretations.

On a deeper level it is about how judgements can lead both children and adults to mocking others, bullying, intolerance and some of the underlying structures our society has established to permit these hateful conflicts to flourish.

Included in the book is a guided discussion for parents, teachers, counselors, conflict resolution specialists and anti-discrimination organizations who wish to engage people in the importance of making critical judgments and the effect they may have on others.