Stan and The Four Fantastic Powers: The First Ever Appreciative Inquiry Book for Kids

Stan and The Four Fantastic Powers is a book made for kids by kids. The book was written and co-constructed by a special team of inter-generational collaborators: An AI expert and grandmother (Marge Schiller), in collaboration with her two grandchildren (Sarah and Max Schiller), a school psychologist and positive psychology practitioner (Shira Levy), and an artist (Stefanie Rudolph) to share the concepts and practice of Appreciative Inquiry with children.

For more than a decade, Appreciative Inquiry has been used in schools, often resulting in increased curiosity, creativity, questioning, collaboration, and an increased voice for students, families, educators, and stakeholders. Well-being benefits have also been documented, including increased self-esteem, confidence, sense of identity, hope, relationships, social skills, and community connectedness. Join Stan, Mr. Gladstone’s class, and the Lincoln Elementary School community, as they embark on their adventure!

“Crash! Swings swinging, rain pouring, monkey bars twirling! And just like that, a huge lightning bolt thundered down on the oldest tree standing next to the Lincoln Elementary School playground. The school that once won first place in Dreamer School District for best playground was now playground-less.” Join Stan and the Playground Team on an adventure focused on strengths, imagination, teamwork, and goal setting, as they discover their own Fantastic Powers to bring the community together to dream and design the school playground’s future.

Stan and The Four Fantastic Powers presents readers with a new way of looking at their world and the possibility of becoming change agents. Appreciative Inquiry encourages the use of positive questioning, collaboration, curiosity, and creativity, using the AI 4-D cycle represented through Stan’s Four Fantastic Powers:

– ME Power: discovering strengths
– SEE Power: dreaming future possibilities
– WE Power: working as a team to develop goals and a plan
– DO Power: delivering the plan

A companion guide for educators and family members, free resources, and additional activities are located on Stan’s website: stanandthefourfantasticpowers.com