“The person who has never made any mistakes, has never tried anything new.”
-Albert Einstein
Picture that we could teach our littles ones that making a mistake is a formative and positive process. Each time you “mess up,” it is an opportunity to learn and grow and become more confident in yourself. Can you imagine?
We are all trying to learn and grow each day, and as mamas, we need this message as much (if not more sometimes!) as our little ones. This topic is a passion of mine, as I am an art teacher, and we work on making mistakes on our papers all the time. These books teach us how to deal with those mistakes, but also act as a metaphor for all of us, in all parts of our life.
Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
This book is a beautiful and fun one for even the littlest of readers! Each page shows a spill or a fold that was turned into a work of art. The ultimate message is-when you make a mistake, think of it as an opportunity to make something beautiful! Words to live by, really.
It’s Okay to Make Mistakes by Todd Parr
Todd Parr is a wonderful writer and he has done it again with this clear illustrative book about mistakes! He reminds us that it is okay to fall down, you can always get back up. Or it’s okay to change your mind, everyone is ready at a different time. One of my favorites is how it ends, “Everyone has ‘uh-oh’ moments. That’s how you learn!”
Eggbert the Slightly Cracked Egg by Tom Ross
This book is about the journey of an egg, who has a crack in his shell. He goes on a journey and discovers that the world is full of cracks-”all sorts of beautiful cracks!” such as clouds in the sky, cracks in a volcano, in canyons! Eggbert learns to be proud of his cracks.
The Girl who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubenstein
Beatrice Bottomwell is known to never make mistakes, and is even called “The Girl who Never makes Mistakes.” Read this book and see what happens when she finally does make a mistake….spoiler alert: life is a lot more fun!
Regina’s Big Mistake by Marissa Moss
I love this book! Regina is a little girl who has lots of ideas in her mind…but can’t seem to put them on a piece of paper. She starts to draw a jungle with her classmates and while she draws the sun, oops! There is a dent in it. What should she do? Will she feel proud of her solution? This a great book particularly about art, but is also fun conversation starter with your children about what to do when you are frustrated.
The Most Magnificient Thing by Ashley Spiers
This sweet story is about a little girl and her dog and she has the most amazing idea! The book shows how the girl gather supplies, tweaks and adjusts her ideas and examines her work throughout the building process. The girl gets mad but then works through her frustration and almost quits, until her “assistant” (her dog) suggests she takes a walk. During her walk, she calms down and figures out all the things that worked and what didn’t. The girl realizes what she needs to do to finish her work, and realizes that it is truly, the most magnificent thing.
The Dot by Peter Reynolds
The book The Dot is a great book written by local writer and illustrator Peter Reynolds who owns the bookstore The Blue Bunny in Dedham! The Dot is a great story that shows Vashti in art class who doesn’t want to make anything on her paper. Her art teacher says “make a mark and see where it takes you.” Vashti’s journey after making a mark on her paper allows her to see how simple it can be to create beauty. After reading this book, break out the art supplies and some paper and make your own dots!
Ish by Peter Reynolds
This book is a fun sequel to The Dot and explores what it feels like to create images that are not perfect looking, but get the essence of your idea. Ramon discovers this “ish” feeling in this book and it is a fun way to introduce this concept of “ishness” to your child and family!
I hope you enjoy these fabulous books about mistake-making with your kiddos.
Now, go make some mistakes!
