Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction : the work of a lifetime --
pt. I: Praxis and practices. How are learning communities like Stone soup? : exploring a praxis --
What can we learn from the Three little pigs? : the three Es of quality intellectual work --
Can Cinderella's slipper be gold instead of glass? : the role of questions in quality intellectual work --
How can we play with Abiyoyo? : the SIP of play and quality intellectual work --
What makes a good Goldilocks? : assessing the quality of picture books --
pt. II: Disciplined inquiries. How long is Tikki Tikki Tembo? : what's the problem with naked numbers? --
How did the sun and the moon come to be in the sky? : playing with the amazing facts of science --
How do you get from patches to a patchwork quilt? : reading an object to spark inquiry across the curriculum --
Who's the strongest? : what makes stories such effective tools for quality intellectual work --
Appendix: The essential ABCs --
Bibliography of children's literature.