I am a boy of color

Title:  I am a boy of color

Author:  Deanna Singh
Illustrator:  Ammar Nsoroma
Publisher:  Orange Hat Publishing © 2016
ISBN:  978-1-943331-21-5
Grade Level: PreK-adult
Book Review: Passionately committed to changing the image of boys of color in modern society, Deanna Singh created a picture book designed to celebrate the best qualities and reinforce the positive characteristics found in children.  The book begins with a boy looking in the mirror and transitions to positive affirmations of what he can see.  Each quality and characteristic carefully selected to create a portrait that brings deserved honor to boys of color.


Systems Thinking Connections

Habits:  While the text does not reference the tern leverage specifically, Deanna Singh used her understanding a system structure and identified the creation of a children's book as a leverage action. This book filled with positive messages, read to multitudes of children, multitudes of times will affect mental models. Impacting mental models is the greatest way to bring about significant change, affecting current reality and the future. Another explicit purpose of this text is for boys of color to make personal connections, being able to see themselves in this powerful piece of children's literature.
Tools:  Teachers using this book with young children and early readers could take any of the positive characteristics or qualities -- possibility, joy, pride, caring --  and look at those through the lens of a stock-flow map. Building  multiple stock-flow maps could lead to discovering the connections and interdependencies between these qualities.

Katie Loves the Kittens

Title:  Katie Loves the Kittens

Author:  John Himmelman
Illustrator:  John Himmelman
Publisher:  Henry Holt and Company ©2008
ISBN:  978-8050-8682-9
Grade Level:  Pre K-2

Book Review:  Sarah Ann brings home three new kittens. Katie, her dog, is so excited.  Katie loves the kittens but she scares them, resulting in some funny antics around the house. In a heartwarming tale of friendship, Katie wants to befriend the kittens, but they remain frightened of the caring, yet exuberant dog. Eventually the kittens come to Katie.  Read to find out how this changing dynamic brings resolution to the story. 

Systems Thinking Connections:
Habits: Recognizes the impact of time delays when exploring cause and effect relationships.  Time delay is a very difficult concept for young children.  This story provides a clear example of how the dog and cat relationship changes over time.  Many stories have a dynamic that occurs over time, but in this one time helps bring the situation of Katie and the kittens to a resolution.  Yet the time frame is short enough that young children can readily relate to what Katie learned and the adjustments she was able to make.
Changes perspectives to increase understanding.  Katie, the protagonist in this story, uses this habit in order to form a strong bond with the new kittens in her family.

Tools:  This simple straightforward story is great for introducing younger children to Behavior Over Time Graphs (BOTGs).  You can graph happiness, frustration or friendship, from the perspective of Katie, Sarah Ann or the kittens.  You can graph Katie's understanding of how to make friends with the kittens.  You can graph the kittens level of fear.  The variety of observable variables and different perspectives work together to make this an ideal text for teaching BOTGs to younger children.

The Trouble With Cauliflower

Title:  The Trouble with Cauliflower

Author:  Jane Sutton
Illustrator:  Jim Harris
Publisher:  Dial Books for Young Readers, ©2006
ISBN:  0-8037-2707-0
Grade Level:  PreK-3

Book Review:  Mortimer likes cauliflower, but he is firmly convinced that cauliflower causes bad luck.  His kind and clever friend, Sadie, is determined to help him see the error in this assumption.  These adorable animal characters and their humorous antics are certain to delight readers of all ages.  While at the same time, the story's artful explanation of how powerfully our beliefs drive our actions is a clear illustration of the influence of mental models, making it a great piece of literature to clarify the concept of a mental model for students.


Systems Thinking Connections
Habits:  Surfaces and tests assumptions.  Mortimer has some firmly engrained ideas that are simply wrong.  The books provides a very safe way to look at how we too have ideas that are incorrect and how learning to pay attention to additional information is an important skill for thinkers of all ages.

Tools:  This book would be an ideal way to introduce the ladder of inference to young children.  There are multiple examples throughout the story that show how Mortimer's errant beliefs and subsequent actions are based on paying attention to all the wrong data.

Bonus:  This book is available as an app.  Find additional details on the author's website. http://jane-sutton.com/

Three Billy Goats Fluff

Title:  The Three Billy Goats Fluff
Author:  Rachael Mortimer
Illustrator:  Liz Pichon
Publisher:  Scholastic, ©2010
ISBN:  978-0-545-49819-7
Grade Level:  PreK-2

Book Review:  In the classic tale, "The Three Billy Goats Gruff,"  a conflict between the three billy goats and the mean, hungry troll is resolved with the troll's untimely disappearance into the water.  Based on that familiar tale, The Three Billy Goats Fluff offers a delightful resolution to the conflict that illustrates the power of innovation, clothed in an excellent example of caring and compassion.  Vibrant, appealing illustrations, coupled with the troll's clever, rhyming couplets, and the innovative resolution to the problem, this is a must add volume to any classroom with a collection of fairy tales and modern retellings.

Systems Thinking Connections:
Habits:
Structure Generates Behavior:  The book provides a great illustration of how a small change in structure can make a big impact in changing the troll's behavior.
Changes Perspectives to Increase Understanding:  Not only is it clear that the goats and the troll have a different perspective of them tramping over the bridge, the mother goat is a prime example of how beneficial it is to see things from multiple perspectives.  She is a fine example of someone who practices this habit.

Systems Thinking Tools:
BOTG--Graph the discontent of the troll with his new home.
Feedback--Kindness shown increases kindness experienced.  Kindness exerienced increases kindness shown.