The adventure of a baby bear named Ark, as he first discovers the world around him, is a new illustrated children's book-in-progress by Case Western Reserve University senior Phillip R. Miller.

The native of Howland, Ohio, never envisioned himself writing and illustrating a children's book when he started school four years ago. He was ready to unravel the philosophical thoughts of Aristotle, Plato and other great thinkers.

But Ark and Ursa (the shortened name for bear in Greek and Latin, respectively) has provided an enjoyable diversion for the political science and philosophy major whose thoughts are currently focused on Alexis De Toqueville's Democracy in America. Miller also is completing two senior project papers, one in each of his two majors, and getting ready for graduation. The honors student is expected to graduate summa cum laude in May.

As a member of a select group of CWRU students called College Scholars—a leadership building program that entails three years of work in the sophomore, junior and senior years—Miller also had to have a senior service project that reflected his major and would contribute something to the community. In the past, College Scholars, who span majors from the arts and sciences to engineering and pre-med, have undertaken such projects as redesigning toys for children with special needs and instituting volunteer tutoring programs for children who are long-term patients in local hospitals.

While brainstorming in May 2002 with other scholars in his class, Miller asked himself, "How do I combine my interest in philosophy with an interest in doing something for others?"

"The obvious thought was teaching," he said, adding that the children's book was a natural progression from that idea.

Drawing upon skills learned in his art classes at Howland High School and a painting class at CWRU, Miller started the project last fall. He illustrated and developed the story line that is targeted for four- and five-year-old children.

He was on a roll writing about a little bear trying to find a ball in the forest, asking other animals in the woods if they knew where it was. The story involved into trying to explain an object that other animals knew nothing about.

He tested the idea on a group of small children and found out his idea was too complicated.

"I got the wind knocked out of me," he said. "I had to pick up and start again. Over the past two months, the book has come together."

Miller has simplified Ark's encounters with the world to three events that promote children to think about such things as big and small and their relationships. Ark's mother, Ursa, tells the bear cub that the world is a confusing place, but a person—or bear in this case—tries to work through it.

The book makes children think and draws upon a child's natural curiosity about the world around them, Miller said This can be the basis for fostering the beginning of philosophical thought later in their lives.

Miller has completed the 16 pages of illustrations and currently is working on the copy. He has put his computer skills to work scanning in the drawings and is importing the copy.

Besides his course work and special projects, Miller also spends time at the campus radio station WRUW where he is the host of two shows-"Patchwork Wednesdays," a jazz show that airs at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, and "Big Communist Robot," which is a late-night punk show on Thursdays. He also has time to devote to Amnesty International, the Philosophy Club and the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance.

Miller also is part of an elite group of students known as the Aldelbert Squire Scholars. He is one of six students in the Class of 2003 to have received a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to CWRU. While a senior in high school, he competed against others in the incoming class and was interviewed about his accomplishments and potential contributions to the University.

His tentative post-graduation plans call teaching English for a year in Germany and then on to law school where he plans to obtain his law degree and a doctorate in philosophy.