Wangari's Tress of Peace

Title: Wangari's Tress of Peace:  A True Story from Africa

Author:  Jeanette Winter
Illustrator:  Jeanette Winter
Publisher:  Harcourt, ©2008
ISBN:  978-0-15-206545-4
Grade Level: Primary

Book Review:  This book tells the story of Wangari Maathai who grew up in Kenya.  After attending college in the United State, she returned to Kenya to find that deforestation was having a profoundly negative effect on her country and her people.   She started by planting nine seedlings on a plot of ground near her home.  Those nine seedlings were the beginning of the Green Belt Movement of Kenya in 1977.  Through persistence, courage and even civil disobedience Wangari stood firm to make a contribution to her country, doing what was right even when her personal safety and comfort were at great risk.

Systems Thinking Connections:
Habits:  Considers short-term, long-term and  unintended consequences of actions.  Wangari was mindful of this habit and as her story unfolds readers can come to understand how all three of these consequences were at play.
Observes how elements within systems change over time, generating patterns and trends.  As this story is so well suited to use of the Behavior Over Time Graph (see note below), it would also be an excellent opportunity to brighten this habit for students.


Systems Thinking Tools:
Behavior Over Time:  The book is replete with opportunities to teach Behavior Over Time Graphs. Language in the text makes the concept of change very explicit.  There is literal change, the number of trees in Kenya.  There is perceptual change, Wangari's personal commitment to bringing about reform in her country. BOTG will lead to deeper understanding of the text and multiple uses of the graph will lead to deeper understanding of the tool.

Mama Miti

Title:  Mama Miti

Author: Donna Jo Napoli
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers ©2010

ISBN: 978-1-4169-3505-6
Grade Level: K-3

Book Review
Thayu nyumba--peace my people. This inspirational refrain weaves together the story of Wangari Muta Maathai, winner of the 2004 Nobel prize, but perhaps more importantly wise, compassionate neighbor who shares her wisdom with her country people in order to make their lives better.  This biography offers a clear narrative that captivates young readers.  The author communicates the incredible spirt of a woman who changed the lives of her fellow country people by offering hope in the form of seeds and starting the Greenbelt Movement in Kenya.  A beautiful reminder of how we all must work together to live peacefully in concert with the natural world and with those around us.


Systems Thinking Connections
Habits: Identifies the circular nature of complex cause and effect relationships.  Wangari's actions and ultimate success is a beautiful illustration of the power of reinforcing feedback.  Her actions reinforced kindness, hope and ultimately the environmental health of her nation.

Tools: Though not explicitly stated there are many things that grow exponentially over time in this story:  tress, wisdom, independence.  This would be a great book to help young children transition from a very event based Behavior Over Time Graph (BOTG) to recognizing that the BOTG can be used describe patterns and trends.  Consider showing the children a graph with just a trend line and asking them what things or ideas in the story could be represented by a such a graph.