When a Butterfly Sneezes: A Guide for Helping Kids Explore Interconnections in Our World Through Favorite Stories

by Linda Booth Sweeney

A must-have resource for any parent or educator who wants to help children think about interconnections in our world. Each chapter focuses on a favorite children's picture book--and reveals the systems principle inherent in the story, general points for discussion, illustrations of key concepts, and questions to spark conversation for both younger and older readers.

Genres: Education, Business, Parenting, Nature

Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Ryan Barretto]

As a concept, this book is a super start to teach children about Systems Thinking concepts.

As a reader, I wish the book provided more details on each story, so that I could actually read and explain it to my kid, instead of making me search for the book and buy it. Eg. I am familiar with a few of Dr. Seuss' stories, and could piece the narrative of a couplet of others, but was completely lost at the story of Wolf.

It's also the reason why the book is at 4 stars and not at 5 stars.

This book is definitely for people interested in Systems Thinking.

[Doni]

Fills a definite need. I would have liked to see more of the systems concepts specifically addressed by each suggested book. The first book they suggested, Give a Mouse a Cookie, had great specific suggestions of a sequence of activities to use with the book. The other books were not as fully fleshed out.

[Amanda]

This was a nice introduction for teaching systems thinking to children. It's worth reading alone for the book lists and discussion guide which make up most of the book (example books: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, The Sneetches, etc...). The discussion guides are broken up for the under 8's and over 8's -- I would have perhaps liked a discussion guide for the tween age.

[Jennifer Futrell]

This is a great lesson resource book for introducing interconnections and systems thinking in classrooms, K-8.

[Christina]

Great tool to introduce systems thinking to children and adults in an accessable way.