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Topic: Growth Mindset

Best Children’s Books About Growth Mindset

The term ‘growth mindset’ has seen a recent trend in education, but the principles behind it are ones that many parents and teachers have tried to cultivate in children for years. We’ve put together a list of recommended books to promote a growth mindset among primary school children. 

Teaching children to embrace new challenges, learn positively from mistakes, persevere with difficult tasks and develop resilience in learning are all key parts of having a growth mindset. From stories about never giving up like Tilda Tries Again and Yes You Can, Cow! to books about embracing mistakes as opportunities like Beautiful Oops! and Rosie Revere, Engineer, this booklist features some of the best children’s books for promoting a growth mindset in young learners.

Picturebook

Award-winning author and illustrator Ashley Spires has created a charming picture book about an unnamed girl and her very best friend, who happens to be a dog. The girl has a wonderful idea. She is going to make the most MAGNIFICENT thing! She knows just how it will look. She knows just how it will work. All she has to do is make it, and she makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!? But making her magnificent thing is anything but easy, and the girl tries and fails, repeatedly. Eventually, the girl gets really, really mad. She is so mad, in fact, that she quits. But after her dog convinces her to take a walk, she comes back to her project with renewed enthusiasm and manages to get it just right.

Picturebook

This award-winning true story of Black Olympic runner Wilma Rudolph, who overcame childhood polio and eventually went on to win three gold medals, is illustrated by Caldecott medal-winning artist David Diaz.

Before Wilma Rudolph was five years old, polio had paralyzed her left leg. Everyone said she would never walk again. But Wilma refused to believe it. Not only would she walk again, she vowed, she’d run. And she did run–all the way to the Olympics, where she became the first American woman to earn three gold medals in a single Olympiad. This dramatic and inspiring true story is illustrated in bold watercolor and acrylic paintings.

Picturebook

In this inspiring, award-winning story of self-expression and creativity from Peter H. Reynolds, illustrator of Ish and the Judy Moody series, Vashti thinks she can’t draw. But her teacher is sure that she can. She knows that there’s creative spirit in everyone, and encourages Vashti to sign the angry dot she makes in frustration on a piece of paper. This act makes Vashti look at herself a little differently, and helps her discover that where there’s a dot there’s a way… With wit, charm and free-spirited illustrations, Peter H. Reynolds encourages even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark – and follow where it takes us.

Picturebook

George can’t roller-skate, George can’t paint, and George most certainly can’t dance!

But Bear is very wise. She thinks that, with a little help, George can do all these things – and more!

And, luckily for George, Bear has just a little magic to help . . .

An empowering book about the power of self-belief from picture-book star, Sophy Henn.

Picturebook

An exquisite new picture book from renowned illustrator, Emma Chichester Clark, creator of Blue Kangaroo.

A magical story of friendship to power the imagination and encourage children (and bears!) towards a lifelong love of reading.

“That’s just silly!” said his sister. “Bears don’t read!”

George isn’t happy doing the usual bear things like chatting and fishing. But what else is there? Then one day, he finds a book beneath a tree and knows… More than anything he wants to learn to read!

But, arriving in town, George soon discovers that it’s not easy to be a bear at school! If only he could find someone to teach him the alphabet and change his life forever… Perhaps a little girl called Clementine can help?

A feel-good story of determination and friendship – sure to encourage a lifelong love of books.

Picturebook

An uplifting new commercial picture book featuring a disabled protagonist.

Dinosaur Milly Jo has a beautiful singing voice, but when a storm rages and brings down a tree, it falls on top of Milly and she loses her lovely voice!
But can she find a new way to shine with the help of her friends?

Brought to life with bright, commercial artwork from Francesca Gambatesa which perfectly captures this hopeful and uplifting story.

Picturebook

From the powerhouse author/illustrator team of Iggy Peck, Architect comes Rosie Revere, Engineer, another charming, witty picture book about pursuing your passion. Rosie may seem quiet during the day, but at night she’s a brilliant inventor of gizmos and gadgets who dreams of becoming a great engineer. When her Great, Great Aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal–to fly–Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt’s dream come true. Her invention complete, Rosie attempts a test flight–but after a moment, the machine crashes to the ground. Discouraged, Rosie deems the invention a failure, but Aunt Rose insists that on the contrary, it was a raging success. You can only truly fail, she explains, if you quit. Reassured, Rosie returns to her engineering and inspires her classmates to join in the fun.

Picturebook

We all make mistakes – grown-ups and children alike. But little kids sometimes have trouble dealing with their mistakes, whether it’s a piece of artwork they’ve torn by accident, or juice they’ve spilled on their favorite drawing. In this book, every page begins with a ‘mistake’ that ultimately unravels, lifts out, or pulls up to become a surprising work of beauty. Kids see firsthand as they go through the book that any smudge, smear or stain can lead to something absolutely marvelous – with a little imagination. Inspiring and inventive, this interactive board book teaches a valuable lesson: ‘When you think you have made a mistake, think of it as an opportunity to make something beautiful!’

Graphic Novel

After the fall, Humpty Dumpty is a broken egg. Life is tough: he’s so afraid of heights, he can’t even bear to climb onto his bed, or reach his favourite cereal on the top shelf at the supermarket. But one day, fuelled by his passion for bird-watching, he decides to conquer his fears and something amazing happens…

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