Looking for picture books to support a lesson or discussion on resilience or perseverance? Check out one of these great titles!
What other books about resilience and perseverance do you love?
Looking for a curated list of mentor texts to use during an empathy and compassion unit or lesson? Look no further!
I also shared about one of my favorite (and new to me!) books on empathy and compassion on YouTube earlier this week. You can watch the video here.
What other books would you add to this list? I’m sure there are so many good ones out there that I don’t even know about!
Looking for a curated list of mentor texts to use during a kindness unit or lesson? Look no further!
I also shared about a few of my absolute favorite books on kindness on YouTube earlier this week. You can watch the video here.
What other books would you add to this list? I’m sure there are so many good ones out there that I don’t even know about!
There’s a new favorite book in our house.
It all started about a week ago when I snagged this book at the library while searching for books to use in an SEL project I’m working on. I read it, liked it and then decided it didn’t exactly fit the section I intended it for so I set aside to return to the library the next day.
That night, my youngest asked me to read him some books before bedtime. He spied this book sitting on the end table so we sat down and read it. As soon as we finished, he asked me to read it again. Since that evening, I have probably read it to him 5-6 times.
Here’s the thing about this book…it doesn’t have fancy illustrations or rhyming text. Heck, it was originally published in 1973 so it’s even, dare I say, a bit outdated. What it does have, though, is a premise that is a bit silly and a bit ridiculous. More importantly, it has several great underlying themes and messages. It’s even great for kids who want to flex their logical-mathematical muscles.
So what is this magical book that captured the attention of my 5 year old? It’s The Brownstone by Paula Scher.
It’s all about 6 different families of animals that live in a three-story brownstone, and just as in real life, sometimes conflict arises between these neighbors. It’s Mr. Owl’s job, as the landlord, to help them all figure out how to live harmoniously in the brownstone.
The book really hits, not only on conflict resolution, but also on the themes of friendship, kindness, social problem solving and acceptance and diversity. There’s a LOT to pull out of this short, easy to read picture book! Plus, as I mentioned, your kiddos that enjoy a good puzzle or problem to solve will get a kick out of trying to solve the puzzle before Mr. Owl does.
Enjoy!
Growth mindset is something we’ve been hearing a lot about in recent years, but what is it really and how do we teach kids about it?
Simply stated, a growth mindset is the belief that you and your brain can grow and learn new things. In other words, you are not just born smart; you can BECOME smart.
The opposite of a growth mindset is a fixed mindset. This is where many people, including kids, get trapped. It’s the belief that, if you can’t do something right now, you will never be able to do it.
This simply isn’t true, though. We know that the human brain is malleable, or able to change and grow. It can become stronger through effort, trying new and different things and asking for help, when needed.
The research also shows that parent and teacher interactions play a big role in forming a child’s mindset. We have the ability to help kids become more resilient through our words and actions. We can do this by focusing our praise on the process versus a child’s ability, teaching kids the importance of trying new strategies when they aren’t successful and how asking for the assistance or opinions of others can be beneficial.
If all of this sounds great, but you still aren’t sure where to start, check out these 5 picture books that will serve as a springboard for discussion of this topic.
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
This is, of course, a fan favorite. It is about a little girl who dislikes art class because she doesn’t think she is a good artist. Her teacher encourages her to simply begin with a single dot and see where it takes her. This one interaction begins a journey of discovery for the little girl which is very relatable for many of our kids.
Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson
This is the true story of a little boy born in Ghana with a deformed leg. While most people dismiss Emmanuel because of his disability, his mother pushes him to dream big. He eventually becomes a cyclist who rides across Ghana, spreading his message of perseverance, courage and strength.
The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do by Ashley Spires
Lou really wants to be brave and climb a tree like all her friends, but she’s never done it before and is convinced she can’t. Despite brainstorming lots of methods for getting to the top of the tree, she isn’t able to make it. Her friends cheer her on and remind her that she can’t do it YET and she can always try again tomorrow. A great reminder for all our kids that they are on their way to accomplishing their goals, even if they haven’t succeeded yet.
I’m Not Just a Scribble by Diane Alber
Scribble realizes he’s different when he meets other drawings and gets made fun of. Eventually, the other drawings come to realize that Scribble is not bad just because he’s different. In fact, Scribble teaches them that he has a lot to add to their lives! A great message to accept others for who they are and what they have to offer the world.
Mistakes that Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions and How They Came to Be by Charlotte Foltz Jones
A wonderful nonfiction book about mistakes that changed the world. Kids will learn how sandwiches, potato chips, Silly Putty and many other common items came to be…by accident!
There are so many wonderful books out there to help teach kids about growth mindset. What are some of your favorites?
I love picture books. No, I mean I really LOVE picture books. I check out picture books from the library like most adults check out, you know…books for adults. I believe they can be used as mentor texts for just about any topic – math, science, music, art, even social-emotional learning. Especially social-emotional learning. That’s why I’m working on creating a GIANT list of mentor texts that can be used to address every SEL topic I can think of. I want educators and parents alike to have a resource to go to when looking for a book to read to their child on say, bullying or acceptance of others.
The list is going to be a living document, meaning it will never be “done.” I will just keep adding to it as long as children’s books are published. Know of a great book I haven’t included (I mean…I know a LOT of picture books but not ALL of them)? Let me know about it! Shoot me an email, share it on Facebook, leave it in the comments here.
Just to get started, here are three of my favorites…
You all know of my love for tapping. This is a great picture book to introduce children to tapping and help them to remember the meridian points in a fun and interactive manner.
I love, love, LOVE every book by Jory John. This one is great, though, because of the underlying message that not every seed starts off as a “bad” seed. It’s great for helping children understand the idea that life events can affect a person’s behavior and actions.
Of course, we all know and love the chapter book Wonder, but I happen to think it was a brilliant idea to turn the storyline into a picture book. The message is perfect and now it’s accessible to a younger audience. What’s not to love about that?
All right…now it’s your turn! What are some of your favorite picture books to support social-emotional learning topics? Share them in the comments below!
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