Our uniqueness is special and should be celebrated. Help kids understand why it's OK to be different with these eleven books.
It's another summer, which means another list of 100 children's picture books to read with your kids this summer! Get the full list here!
Picture books have long been used as a source of both entertainment and education in the classroom. For years, teachers have been using the many colorful words and images provided to us by authors and artists to illustrate so many of the things children need to learn in school. We use picture books for everything from helping show children how to behave properly in class (hello, Interrupting Chicken ;)) and how to treat each other with kindness to the specific content information we need to learn in our math, science, and social studies classes. Books can help children develop a sense of empathy, providing windows into the way other people live and grow in our world. And they can act as mirrors, reflecting events, people, and feelings of the readers themselves. Picture books are also a great way to help children solve problems they may be facing in their lives. This may be particularly true of children who are developing in any way outside the norms of what we might expect of a "typically developing" child (is there such a thing?). I posted recently about nine ways we can help gifted children manage perfectionism and/or the fear of failure. Using books, of course, is one of the best (and easiest, I think) ways we can help give our students some strategies for dealing with perfectionist tendencies. Tackling books like the ones I'm sharing with you today is one way we can allow children to see their own reflection by showing them other children who have faced similar struggles. The books can also give them some relatable tools for solving some of the problems that may arise when perfectionism threatens to take hold. The books in this post are suitable for elementary (K-6) school children. Without further ado (and in no particular order)... Books to Help Children Manage Perfectionism and Fear of Failure A Perfectly Messed-Up Story is a silly and interactive story about a boy who wants to tell a perfect story but keeps getting tripped up along the way by obstacles and blemishes like a smudge of jelly or coffee on the page from a reader. He gets frustrated but eventually realizes his story is great, in spite of the imperfections. Mistakes that Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be is an informational text that tells the stories behinds many familiar inventions that started out as mistakes. It's an inspirational and engaging book that helps show children the value in making mistakes. From Peter H. Reynolds, author of The Dot, the book Ish illustrates the story of Ramone, the child who loves to draw, until he was teased for one of his drawings. He spent many months trying to draw pictures that were just right, but he felt like he could never get them just so, and gave up on drawing until his little sister came along offering a new perspective. There are so many applications for this book in the classroom that perhaps you and your students can live "ishfully" ever after. What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake: A Kid's Guide to Accepting Imperfection is written by two clinical psychologists. This book uses cognitive-behavioral principles and techniques to help children begin to cope with making mistakes and put their worries aside so they can explore new places without fear. Another book about learning to accept making mistakes, this story focuses on a frog named Stickley. With help of his grandfather, Stickley learns to say, "Oh well," when something doesn't go quite right. Stickley Makes a Mistake is authored by Brenda S. Miles, Ph.D., a pediatric neuropsychologist, and provides tips to caregivers about using the book. Your Fantastic Elastic Brain, Stretch It, Shape It, is a great informational text that explores what the brain is and the many wonderful things it can do, including GROWING and STRETCHING. It is a great book that focuses on the ever-popular growth mindset. It emphasizes the control and power we all have over our brain's growth, ability to overcome, and capacity to stretch and learn more and more information. Written with the tween (ages 9-13) in mind, What to Do When Good Enough Isn't Good Enough is a book about is a book that teaches children about perfectionism and its potential downfalls. Using realistic vignettes, the book illustrates how kids can face perfectionism and use practical strategies to move away from always feeling like everything has to be just so. The book is written by a licensed psychologist and family therapist, Thomas S. Greenspon, Ph.D. Written by a teacher, Being Bella: Discovering How to Be Proud of Your Best is a story about a first-grade student who faces many typical problems that a first grader is likely to face on any given day. With the help and encouragement of family and friends, Bella starts to realize that everyone makes mistakes, and we can grow from those mistakes. *Be sure to check your local libraries for this one. Looks to me like it may be out of print--it's crazy expensive!* The Dot is a wonderfully written and illustrated circle story by author Peter H. Reynolds that shows how a child once paralyzed by fears of imperfection overcame her fear with the help of an encouraging teacher. This is a great book to use at the beginning of the year or any time your students are struggling with getting started on an activity or project because of their fear of failure. This is an adventurous story about a girl who gets extraordinarily frustrated when she tries something new and fails time and time again. Filled with lots of colorful vocabulary words (wrenches, fiddles, tweaks, and fashions, to name a few), The Most Magnificent Thing gives children a great example of how one child deals with frustration and recovers from a string of mistakes, eventually reaching her goal. Sometimes mistakes can be beautiful, and this is exactly what author Barney Saltzberg shows children in this humorous interactive book. In Beautiful Oops!, Each page shows how a mistake can turn into something lovely and artistic, teaching children that in every mistake, there is an opportunity. In Mark Pett and Gary Rubenstein's The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes Beatrice Bottomwell never made mistakes. Well, not until it was time for the school's talent show. Beatrice made a mistake. And it was a BIG one. Everyone in the audience was stunned until Beatrice began laughing. Everyone started laughing together and Beatrice realized that making mistakes can actually be fun! In the story, Everyone Loves Cupcake, by Kelly DiPucchio, Cupcake works hard at trying to get everyone to like her. She worked extra hard at being perfect, but the pressure to be perfect wore on her over time. Eventually, she decided to share with her friends the real Cupcake, and her friends love her so much more for just being herself instead of always trying to be perfect! In Nobody's Perfect: A Story for Children About Perfectionism, by Ellen Flanagan Burns, you'll meet Sally Sanders, a girl who is good at everything she tries. The problem is, she's always afraid that she will feel like a total failure if there's every something she's not good at. Thankfully, Sally's mom and teacher are there to help her see that she doesn't have to worry so much about always being the best. Best for children aged five to nine, Penelope Perfect: A Tale of Perfectionism Gone Wild by Shannon Anderson is a humorous book about a young perfectionist girl whose accidental oversleeping sets off a chain of less-than-perfect events for the day. She ends up being able to laugh at her mistakes, learning that it's okay to go with the flow sometimes and that the world won't end if she's not perfect. Includes tips for parents and teachers about how to help the Penelopes in your life. Some of these you may love, and some might seem a little contrived, but I think the biggest value in using these books in the classroom is that it helps to develop a narrative about accepting and valuing mistakes. My hope is that children will eventually be able to incorporate these ideas as part of their own internal dialogue someday. Got any other recommendations? I'd love to hear them! Send me an email at [email protected] or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.
Looking for a great book list for your kids? This is the list of must-read Classic books for kids! Plus a great resource for used books!
Here's a list of the best children's growth mindset books about life lessons that can help teach kids important morals and values.
25 Favorite Children's Books- These are the books we read over and over again that are favorites with children and parents.
This is an excellent resource for vintage children’s books.
These books won either the Caldecott Honor or Caldecott Medal in the 1900's. The award is given to the best contribution to children's literature from an artistic perspective. The judges, which includes a panel of fifteen librarians and educators, review the children's books that were published that year. After deliberation and several rounds, they choose
These children's books about women in science show just how women have shaped our understanding of science and influenced their communities.
To celebrate the 95th Children's Book Week (May 12 to 18), we asked our fans and followers to tell us what children's book changed their lives. We received HUNDREDS of responses on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and Tumblr. What follows is a compilation of some of our favorites.
Even preschoolers can enjoy classic children's book with these lovely pictures books filled with engaging pictures and simple text for kids!
Identifier: journeysthroughb01sylv Title: Journeys through Bookland : a new and original plan for reading applied to the world's best literature for children Year: 1922 (1920s) Authors: Sylvester, Charles Herbert Subjects: Children's literature Publisher: Chicago : Bellows-Reeve Contributing Library: Internet Archive Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive View Book Page: Book Viewer About This Book: Catalog Entry View All Images: All Images From Book Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book. Text Appearing Before Image: ill think this a good story toread to your little sister or brother. In case itseems a trifle sad, you will like to know that it isonly a poetic way in which the Russian people usedto tell of the arrival of the snow and of the winterweather that quickly becomes very cold and remainsso for several months. Snow White, you see, repre-sents the snow; and of course she grows very rapidlyas the cold becomes more and more keen. She islast found in the deep forest, but even there shemust disappear when spring warms the earth. PerhajDs you can explain this meaning very simplywhen you read the story to small children. And youcan tell them, too, that Ivan, JNIarie, and the littleplaymates of Snow White could not have grievedlong, for they must have been very glad to have thespring come, driving away the gloom of winter androusing all the earth from its long sleep. Besides,they knew that in due time the snow must return,bringing again to earth the little Snow JMaiden. 262 Wynken, Blynken, and Nod Text Appearing After Image: WYNKEN, BLYNKEN, AND NOD By Eugene Field WYNKEN, Blynken, and Nod one nightSailed off in a wooden shoe—Sailed on a river of crystal light, Into a sea of dew.Where are you going, and what do you wish? The old moon asked the three.We have come to fish for the herring fishThat live in this beautiful sea;Nets of silver and gold have we!Said Wynken, Blynken, and Nod. Wynken, Blynken, and Nod 263 The old moon laughed and sang a song, As they rocked in the wooden shoe,And the wind that sped them all night long Ruffled the waves of dew.The little stars were the herring fish That lived in that beautiful sea—Now cast your nets wherever you wish— Never afeard are we! So cried the stars to the fishermen three,Wynken, Blynken, and Nod. All night long their nets they threwTo the stars in the twinkling foam— Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe.Bringing the fishermen home; Twas all so j^retty a sail, it seemedAs if it could not be, And some folks thought twas a dream theyddreamedOf Note About Images Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original work.
Teaching children about pollution in the air, water, and land is essential since we know that pollution negatively impacts our environment and wildlife.
With a list of 100 children's books to read in a lifetime, you're sure to find what you're looking for. These classic children's stories are great gifts!
Writing children’s literature is kind of like comedy. Everyone thinks it’s easy when, in reality, it’s actually much harder than it looks. Perhaps it’s the lower page count or the simplified language, or the popular belief that kids will be satisfied with any form of entertainment – no matter how superficial. Waggle some bright objects
These books won either the Caldecott Honor or Caldecott Medal in the 1900's. Starting in 1938, every year a team of librarians reviews the children's books that were published that year and choose one winner and a couple honorable mentions. Some of the historical events covered by the books include significant historical and scientific topics
Inside: 100 Great Children’s Books is the selection of the best-written, most inspiring, beautiful, and entertaining picture books you might not know about. If you’ve read Where the Wild Things Are, Amelia Bedelia, and other classic picture books with your children and wonder if there are lesser-known books that are no less amazing, you
These engaging children's books about food from around the world will captivate your child's mind and tummy! Explore different cultures, food and family
Best Caldecott Books : Looking for fun picture books? Check out this list of the best ever Caldecott award books children-and even adults--should know.
This list of 1930s children's books includes both award-winning children's books less famous titles. Many of them make excellent read alouds for families to enjoy together. You won't want to forget about these great 20th century novels!
188 p. : 25 cm
In short, lyrical selections, McGhee invites young readers to listen, look, breathe, taste, and dig in the natural world, highlighting the ways in which sensory reflexes and experiences unite people:
We’ve much proof that reading aloud with our kids enhances academic ability and communication skills. But mostly we desire the glue.
Get a list of the Newbery Medal books for you and your kids to read. These are the amazing award winning books that everyone shouldr read!
Over 50 classic children's picture books from the 1920s to the 1970s that will never grow old! Share them with the kids in your life!
"Reading this while growing up helped me answer some really difficult questions I was grappling with."
Fall in love with these children's classics all over again. Or better yet, share these classic children's books with your children.
#56 A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1905) 37 points At eight, I found nothing as exciting as a poor mistreated orphan. Swoon! – Anna Ruhs I read this again fairly recently and couldn’t capture the sense of wonder that I had as a child, but refreshing the story in my mind was enough […]
Check out our list of best books for children!
A fabulous list of books from around the world for little kid world citizens! Multicultural stories and folktales plus books on empathy and friendship.
Read these classic books for kids with your children and surround them with amazing children's literature. Books are an excellent gift idea.
This page is from a children’s alphabet book published by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (2014.060.0001). It belonged to a Thelma MacDonald. There is a Thelma MacDonald who worked as…
From traditional classics to contemporary masterpieces.
These will hold you over until your next family vacation.
Let your readers take flight.
