The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein is a book I decided to make Book of the Month that is available through my library's Hoopla account. This is a good book for kids who are afraid to make mistakes and what to do when a mistake is made.
Summary: Meet Beatrice Bottomwell: a nine-year-old girl who has never (not once!) made a mistake. Life for Beatrice is sailing along pretty smoothly until she does the unthinkable-she makes her first mistake. And in a very public way!
Ages: 4-8
"They just called her 'the Girl Who Never Made Mistakes' because for as long as anyone could remember, she never did."
This story is perfect for sharing the very important message that no one is perfect and that it's exhausting to try to be. It's also a good lesson to teach what to do if a mistake is made...just laugh it off and realize mistakes are a part of life.
I liked how this story had the element of Beatrice's brother, Carl, being able to enjoy making mistakes and how it showed how much more fun her friends were having by not being afraid of making mistakes. Beatrice's mistake happens while on stage for school, making this the book to read for kids who have stage fright.
I really enjoy coming across picture books with messages I feel are much needed, and this is one of them. Mister Yes by Carmen Gil teaches the message of the need of saying "no." What a great and necessary lesson to teach to children.
Summary: Mister Yes is great at a lot of things, especially tongue-twisters, but the one thing he isn't so great at is saying "no." When he is offered to taste humming bird poop and slug slime ice cream he can't say no and gets a tummy ache. When a salesman wants to sell him an umbrella full of holes he can't say no. When a troublemaker wants him to pull pranks at a supermarket he can't say no. All the while Mister Yes looks in the mirror and is disappointed in himself that he just can't seem to say "no."
With the help of a fly, he has the courage to finally say no to a colleague who wanted him to do his work for him. Suddenly, Mister Yes feels much better.
"Mr. Yes started to feel as if thousands of brightly colored bubbles were bursting in his heart. A huge grin spread across his face, and he felt like he was walking on air."
Age Range: 6 and up
I really don't have anything bad to say about this book, but I do think recognizing it's a picture book for somewhat older kids to comprehend is important.
I really liked how the fly helped Mister Yes get over his fears and caused him to get a "taste" of how saying no would feel.
For March's Book of the Month, I chose Sun & Moon Sisters by Khoa Le.
Summary: The Sun and the Moon
are sisters, and they rule the sky together peacefully. One day,
however, each begins to wonder: who is more important? This friction
leads them to make a powerful decision to switch roles, hoping that it
will lead to a greater understanding of their powers. Soon, the Sun
begins shining all through the night, and the Moon brings night to the
day. In the end, the two sisters will learn an important lesson about
the importance of harmony and the balance of their relationship.
Age Range: 4 and up
"You are both important," shouted the children. "Don't envy each other anymore."
The 3D illustration on the cover is what urged me to choose this book. I
liked how it had a lesson of not to envy anyone and to realize that
everyone is important and is needed in their own way. I also liked how they
used the symbols of sun and moon and siblings, specifically sisters, to convey this lesson.
Author and
Illustrator Khoa Le combines a unique fable with beautiful Asian artwork.
