Book Works: Growth Mindset

Growth Mindset

How can we help our kids develop a “growth mindset” in which they’re open to learning and trying new things? Here are some books that encourage children to explore new ideas, try hard, and embrace failure.

Bubble Gum Brain by Julia Cook; Illustrated by Allison Valentine

A kid who has a stretchy, adventurous bubble-gum brain brings a new attitude to a kid stuck inside a fearful brick brain.Amazon affiliate link (opens in a new tab): https://amzn.to/2zvqXqi

Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg

In this colorful picture book, kids see how a “mistake” like torn paper or a spill can lead to fun and creativity.Amazon affiliate link (opens in a new tab): https://amzn.to/2tLdRzk

Making a Splash by Carol E. Reiley; Illustrated by Jason Pastrana

When a brother and sister take swimming lessons, they see that struggling to learn a new skill is sometimes an advantage over having it come easily.Amazon affiliate link (opens in a new tab): https://amzn.to/2Kb2s6M

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett & Gary Rubinstein

This story about a girl who gets everything right (until she doesn’t) is great for starting a conversation about why it’s sometimes important to fail.Amazon affiliate link (opens in a new tab): https://amzn.to/2KmASmp

The Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

A girl learns to cope with frustration and to persevere as she tries to build something magnificent.Amazon affiliate link (opens in a new tab): https://amzn.to/2KkSP1n

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds

A young girl struggles in her art class, but learns that creativity can start with something as simple as a dot.Amazon affiliate link (opens in a new tab): https://amzn.to/2Ktod1aBook Works are book recommendations by Communication Works (CW) that support speech, language, social and emotional growth for children.Article by Elizabeth Sautter, M.A., CCC-SLPSpeech Language Pathologist & Executive Director of Communication Works