Books By Theme: Encouraging a Growth Mindset With Picture Books

What Do You Do With a Problem?
by Kobi Yamada

This is a story for anyone, at any age, who has ever had a problem that they wished would go away. It's a story to inspire you to look closely at that problem and to find out why it's here. Because you might discover something amazing about your problem… and yourself.

What are problems for? They challenge us, shape us, push us, and help us to discover just how strong and brave and capable we really are. Even though we don't always want them, problems have a way of bringing unexpected gifts.

Lesson Idea: http://www.teachcreatemotivate.com/growthmindset/

The Most Magnificent Thing
by Ashley Spires

This funny book offers a perfect example of the rewards of perseverance and creativity. The girl's frustration and anger are vividly depicted in the detailed art, and the story offers good options for dealing honestly with these feelings, while at the same time reassuring children that it's okay to make mistakes. The clever use of verbs in groups of threes is both fun and functional, offering opportunities for wonderful vocabulary enrichment. The girl doesn't just make her magnificent thing --- "she tinkers and hammers and measures, she smooths and wrenches and fiddles, she twists and tweaks and fastens." These precise action words are likely to fire up the imaginations of youngsters eager to create their own inventions and is a great tie-in to learning about STEM.

Lesson Idea: http://www.kidscanpress.com/sites/default/files/products/assets/MostMagnificentThingThe_2177_teaching_2.pdf

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes
by Mark Pett

Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once!) made a mistake... Meet Beatrice Bottomwell: a nine-year-old girl who has never (not once!) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, Beatrice holds the record of perfection in her hometown, where she is known as The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes. Life for Beatrice is sailing along pretty smoothly until she does the unthinkable - she makes her first mistake. And in a very public way!

Lesson Idea: 
http://www.thenedshow.com/assets/a4-the-girl-who-never-made-mistakes-primary-lesson-plans-the-ned-show.pdf

Beautiful Oops
by Barney Salzburg

A life lesson that all parents want their children to learn: It's OK to make a mistake. In fact, hooray for mistakes! A mistake is an adventure in creativity, a portal of discovery. A spill doesn't ruin a drawing - not when it becomes the shape of a goofy animal. And an accidental tear in your paper? Don't be upset about it when you can turn it into the roaring mouth of an alligator.

Lesson Ideas: http://beautifuloops.com/share-ideas/

The Dot
by Peter Reynolds

Simplicity itself, like the dot in the title, this small book carries a big message. Vashti doesn't like her art class. She can't draw. So when her teacher tells her just to make a mark, Vashti belligerently hands in her paper with a single dot. But what a wise teacher Vashti has. She makes Vashti sign the paper, and then she frames it. Seeing her work on the wall encourages Vashti to do better, and she takes out her watercolors and begins experimenting with all sorts of dots

Lesson Idea:
http://tworeflectiveteachers.blogspot.com/2013/10/teaching-about-growth-mindset-early-in.html