Princesses Wear Pants

Title:  Princesses Wear Pants

Author:  Savannah Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim
Illustrator:  Eva Byrne
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers © 2017

ISBN: 978-1-4197-2603-3
Grade Level: PreK-2
Book Review:  In the Pineapple Kingdom Princess Penelope Pineapple plays a very important role.  While she can dazzle in her gowns and crowns, some of her most important work is done when she dons her pants.  From exercise, to gardening, to hosting the science fair, there are just some times when even a princess needs to wear pants. Guthrie and Oppenheim tell an engaging tale of a modern princess who sets an example for what a competent, confident girl can do.
Systems Thinking Connections:
Habits:  The title of the book, Princesses Wear Pants, suggests that the text offers a classic story for challenging mental models and it doesn't disappoint.  It creates a believable context for exploring these important issues. It would also be a good text for looking at the Habit, surface and test assumptions.  While Penelope is comfortable in her pants, not all her subjects share her perspective, but in the end her level-headed competence changes the point of view of some of her naysayers.

Tools:  Can you tell a reinforcing story about what contributes to competence? Keeping in mind that you must be able to talk through a loop more than one time, so you can't just say that the right outfit leads to  princess success, but Princess Penelope definitely portrays some attitudes that contribute to her sense of confidence and accomplishment.

which one doesn't belong?

Title:  which one doesn't belong?

Author/Illustrator: Christopher Danielson
Publisher:  Stenhouse Publishers ©2016
ISBN:  978-1-62531-080
Grade Level: PreK-adult
Book Review: This books is brilliantly created to promote deep thinking.  Each page contains four shapes and each page asks the same question:  which one doesn't belong?  The brilliance is found in the fact that each shape is a justifiable answer to the question.  In Marzano's famed meta-analysis of educational research, he deemed the ability to identify similarities and differences as the number one strategy to promote student success.  This book offers a wonderful way to explicitly teach and model that instructional strategy with content that is accessible to all learners.  The skillful practitioner can then help students transfer the skill of identifying similarities and differences in shapes to identifying the similarities and differences in the content that he/she teaches.
Systems Thinking Connections
Habits:  What a great way to introduce the Habit surface and test assumptions! As students take turns sharing which shape does not belong and explaining their thinking, they are practicing the habit and experiencing in real time that there are many possible correct assumptions.
Tools:  This text embodies a critical concept of systems thinking:  There is not just one right answer. Helping students and educators recognize and accept this fact is an essential part of building systems thinking capacity.