About This Book
Reach for this book when your child starts to show signs of perfectionism, such as getting frustrated by a messy drawing or feeling discouraged when a new skill doesn't come easily. It provides a colorful, low-pressure environment to discuss the inevitability of mistakes and the hidden benefits they often bring. Todd Parr uses his signature bold style to validate a child's feelings of embarrassment or failure while quickly pivoting to a more hopeful perspective. This book is about normalizing the 'messy' parts of life. By reframing a mistake as a 'happy accident' or a chance to make a new friend, it helps children aged 3 to 6 build the emotional resilience needed to keep trying. Parents will appreciate the way it simplifies complex feelings of shame and replaces them with a sense of adventure and self-discovery.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The book handles mistakes in a secular, direct, and highly optimistic way. It touches on minor social embarrassments and physical mishaps, always resolving them with a hopeful and empowering message.
Ideal Reader
A preschooler or kindergartner who is 'rule-bound' and becomes anxious when they can't do something perfectly on the first try. It is also excellent for children who struggle with the social shame of minor accidents in a classroom setting.
