Book Reviews

The SWEAT Kids, (and sometimes their parents, too) enjoy reading books. Sometimes they read books that deal with issues they are facing, sometimes they read books for school assignments and sometimes they read just for fun.

This month, we review Sophie's World.

For a list of past book reviews, please go to
our archive.

Sophie's World

Combining an overview of Western philosophy with an enigmatic storyline, Sophie’s World is part learning experience, part imagination and part mystery. A New York Times bestseller, Sophie’s World follows 14-year-old Sophie Amundsen as she discovers mysterious envelopes in her mailbox with the questions:

• “Who are you?”
• “Where does the world come from?”

Sophie ponders these difficult-to-answer questions, but her situation only gets more baffling. Before long she receives a complete philosophy course by mail, covering the musings of thinkers from Democritus to Plotinus. Adding to the intrigue, her professor is a mysterious man named Alberto Knox who seemingly can travel through time.

However, that there’s something even stranger, not to mention sinister, going on. Sophie begins receiving postcards meant for a girl named Hilde from Hilde’s father (and they’re dated a month into the future), and it becomes clear that Hilde’s father has some great power over both Sophie and Alberto.

There may be a way out of his grasp with the help of philosophy, though, and it becomes imperative that Sophie and Alberto cover the rest of the lessons.

Sophie’s World is a book that will really make you think about the world we live in and beyond, as well as about yourself. I highly recommend it.
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