This text offers a comprehensive analysis of the concept of the modern creative and imaginative child in Western education. Drawing on archived sources and historical works, it reframes childhood creativity as a social, cultural, and scientific construction, asking how our thinking and acting toward the creative child have been produced…

Considers possible links between development of empathy and some children's spontaneous creation of imaginary companions or situations, citing examples of Agatha Christie's "Autobiography." Questions if such activities show ability to "decenter emotionally." Suggests need for better methods of assessing emotional decentering…