Picture books are my favorite things to use in the classroom. I love using picture books for all different topics throughout our day. Today we are going to talk about picture books for Growth Mindset. This is a topic that is so important to teach to our students. Kids often don’t know how to have a growth mindset. They don’t understand how to change their words from “I can’t” to “I can’t yet.”
The first book that we are going to talk about is "Your Fantastic Elastic Brain" by JoAnn Deak Ph.D. (Author), Sarah Ackerley (Illustrator). This book is great because it lets kids know that our brains can be stretched and grow. It teaches kids that it is ok to make mistakes. It teaches all the different ways that we can exercise our brains, just like we exercise the rest of our bodies. This book also has beautiful illustrations. This is a must-have book for your home or classroom library.
The next book on our list is "The Most Magnificent Thing" by Ashley Spires (Author, Illustrator). This is a really fun book about an unnamed girl who has decided that she is going to make the most magnificent thing, but it turns out to be harder than she thought it would be. This book helps teach students that they are able to make anything they put their minds to, as long as they keep trying. I love this book for growth mindset, as well as teaching kids about STEM and maker space.
The next book on our list is "The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes* by Mark Pett (Author), and Gary Rubinstein (Author). This is another really fun book about Beatrice Bottomwell who never made mistakes. Her town even starts to call her the girl who never made mistakes. But one day she ends up making a huge mistake in front of the whole town. By the end of the story, Beatrice and the reader realize that it is more fun to enjoy everything in life, even the mistakes. This story teaches kids that it is ok to make mistakes and that is how we learn and grow.
The next book on the list is "Giraffes Can’t Dance" by Giles Andreae (Author), and Guy Parker-Rees (Illustrator). This is a sweet story about Gerald the Giraffe, and he wants to learn to dance. But he has crooked knees and thin legs that make it hard for him to learn. By the end of the story, he stays persistent and keeps working towards learning to dance. I love that this story helps kids learn that they can keep working towards their goals and they can eventually reach them. This is another must-have for your classroom library.
The final book on my list is "Jabari Jumps" by Gaia Cornwall (Author, Illustrator). This a great story about overcoming your fears. Jabari has been taking swimming lessons and he is finally ready to jump off the diving board. He watches as all the kids are taking their turns. His dad is close by and he squeezes Jabari’s hand to let him know he is there and cheering him on. This story captures this moment between the patient dad and the determined little boy. This is certainly a must-have for your classroom.
These are just a few of my favorite picture books for growth mindset. Do you have any favorite picture books for growth mindset that you would like to share? I can’t wait to hear all about them!