Learning from mistakes helps kids grow! Erasers are often destroyed in my classroom. Pieces are bitten off. Erasers found poked with holes from their pencil points. Erasers shoved inside of their books. However, these erasers are never destroyed from erasing mistakes. I don’t know about your class this year, but they are petrified of making mistakes!
I can’t put my finger on it, however, over the past several years I’ve been seeing a common theme creeping up each and every year. Hesitation, nervousness, and even fright of making a mistake. Each year it seems to be getting worse in my eyes. Lately, students don’t want to be wrong. Even when I say: “Spelling will not count, try your best…tap it out.”, immediately when they begin their hands are immediately up asking “How do you spell this?” and it is their first word.
We all make mistakes. Oftentimes I do so on purpose. It is one of my students’ FAVORITE things in class when they point out that I wrote a wrong answer on the board or I misspelled something. I typically make a huge deal over it and truly point out that see even teachers make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes and it is OKAY!
Here are 40 books to strategically and directly teach that making mistakes is OKAY and here is how you learn and grow from them.
Book 1 – The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett
There is a reason I placed this book at number 1! This is the perfect fit for any classroom library for that perfectionist in the room! Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER made a mistake. In fact, the entire town calls her The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes! One day, the inevitable happens: Beatrice makes a huge mistake in front of everyone!
2 – What Were You Thinking? by Bryan Smith
Kids do things before they think ALL THE TIME! Help them learn self-control with this fun story.
3 – Ish by Peter H. Reynolds
Ramon loved to draw. It’s what makes him happy. But in one split second, all that changes. A single reckless remark by Ramon’s older brother, Leon, turns Ramon’s carefree sketches into joyless struggles. Luckily for Ramon, though, his little sister, Marisol, sees the world differently. She opens his eyes to something a lot more valuable than getting things just “right.”
Mistake Book 4 – You Are Awesome by Matthew Syed
You Are Awesome is a practical and insightful growth mindset book for kids to help middle-grade children build resilience, embrace their mistakes, and grow into successful, happy adults.
5 – Even Superheroes Make Mistakes by Shelly Becker
5 – If you’ve got a superhero fan, they’ll love this book! Even superheroes sometimes slip up and make mistakes. Whether they’ve nabbed the wrong guy by mistake or bashed into a planet while zooming through space, all superheroes ‘fess up their mess-up, get on with their day, and keep on saving the world in the most super way!
6 – I Can’t Do That, YET: Growth Mindset by Esther Pia Cordova
One night in a dream Enna sees all the possible future versions of herself, discovering that she can be any of those versions with time, knowledge, and dedication. She develops a growth mindset throughout her journey and instead of saying “I can’t do that,” she learns to say “I can’t do that YET!”.
Book 7 – What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada
This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child’s confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens.
8 – What to do When Mistakes Make You Quake: A Kid’s Guide to Accepting Imperfection by Claire A.B. Freeland
Explorers investigate places they have never been to before. These explorers might take a while to make their discoveries. They might have trouble understanding their maps or might make wrong turns. They might need to start their expedition all over again! If explorers could not accept their mistakes and keep going, they might never make any discoveries!
9 – Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo
This must-have volume brings readers on an empowering journey, introducing them to the real-life adventures of trailblazing women from Elizabeth I to Malala Yousafzai. The unique narrative style of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls transforms each biography into a fairytale, filling readers with wonder and a burning curiosity to know more about each hero.
Mistake Book 10 – It’s Okay to Make Mistakes by Todd Parr
Embrace life’s happy accidents, mistakes, and mess-ups that can lead to self-discovery.
11 – Zach Makes Mistakes by William Mulcahy
For Zach, a class field trip to the museum is about more than cool exhibits—it’s about learning from mistakes and dealing with feeling embarrassed.
12 – Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak Ph.D.
Educator and psychologist Dr. JoAnn Deak offers a fun and engaging introduction to the anatomy and functions of the brain that will empower each young reader to S-T-R-E-T-C-H and grow their fantastic, elastic brain!
Book 13 – I Tried and I’m Proud of It! by Jenna Bayne
One of the greatest strategies to teach youth is how to turn mistakes into valuable learning opportunities. Redefine what a mistake really is, and how to use this positive shift in perspective to celebrate the learning process. Mistakes are part of learning and learning is so much fun!
14 – Be a Perfect Person In Just Three Days by Stephen Manes
Perfect people never had their parents nag at them. People that are perfect never had to take the blame for rotten tricks their sisters played. Perfect people never needed erasers. Perfect was obviously the perfect thing to be!
15 –Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
15 –It’s OK to make a mistake. In fact, hooray for mistakes! A mistake is an adventure in creativity, a portal of discovery. A spill doesn’t ruin a drawing—not when it becomes the shape of a goofy animal. And an accidental tear in your paper? Don’t be upset about it when you can turn it into the roaring mouth of an alligator.
Mistake Book 16 – Star Wars: Jedi Academy Series by Jeffrey Brown
This incredible, original story captures all of the humor, awkwardness, fun, and frustrations of middle school — all told through one boy’s comics, journal entries, letters, doodles, and newspaper clippings.
17 – The Berenstain Bears Say “I’m Sorry!” by Mike Berenstain
An engaging lesson from the iconic Bear family on the importance of knowing when to apologize and when to forgive.
18 – When Pencil Met the Markers by Karen Kilpatrick
Meet the Markers! They love to color. But Purple Marker colors everywhere―even outside the lines. When the other markers call his creativity a mistake, it’s up to Pencil and Eraser to help Purple discover how making mistakes and making art go hand-in-hand.
Book 19 – Mistakes That Worked: The World’s Familiar Inventions and How They Came to Be by Charlotte Foltz Jones
Unusual tales, and many more, along with hilarious cartoons and weird, amazing facts, make up this fun-filled book about everyday items that had surprisingly haphazard beginnings.
20 – My Magical Choices by Becky Cummings
No more, “I can’t, I don’t know, or I’m not!” As you use My Magical Choices to teach your children positive, conscious language, they will choose to be responsible, calm, confident, fun, a good sport, forgiving, generous and more!
21 – Eggbert the Slightly Cracked Egg by Tom Ross
Cast out of the refrigerator because of a small crack, Eggbert sets out into the world, using his talent for painting to try to blend in. Eventually, he realizes that cracks are everywhere and reminds us all that our flaws are perfectly natural.
Mistake Book 22 – Help Your Dragon Learn From Mistakes: Teach your Dragon it’s OK to Make Mistakes by Steve Herman
Having a pet dragon is very fun. You can teach him to sit, rollover, and play… He can candle a birthday cake, lit a campfire, or so many other cool things… But what if your dragon is always afraid of making mistakes?
23 – Eraser by Anna Kang
23 – Eraser is always cleaning up everyone else’s mistakes. Except for Ruler and Pencil Sharpener, none of the other school supplies seem to appreciate her. This text is true about figuring out who you are, finding happiness, and the importance of second, third, and maybe even fourth chances.
24 – Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
The beloved New York Times bestselling picture book about pursuing one’s passion with persistence and learning to celebrate each failure on the road to achieving one’s dreams.
Book 25 – She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton
Throughout United States history, there have always been women who have spoken out for what’s right, even when they have to fight to be heard. In this book, Chelsea Clinton celebrates thirteen American women who helped shape our country through their tenacity, sometimes through speaking out, sometimes by staying seated, sometimes by captivating an audience. They all certainly persisted.
26 – The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
The young girl is going to make the most MAGNIFICENT thing! 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.
27 – She’s Got This by Laurie Hernandez
Even Olympians have to start somewhere. Laurie imparts important lessons she learned on her way to Olympic glory: You always have to get back up and try again, and you always have to believe in yourself.
Mistake Book 28 – Sometimes you Win – Sometimes You Learn for Teens: How to Turn a Loss into a Win by: John C. Maxwell
Any setback–a championship loss, a bad grade, a botched audition-can be seen as a step forward when teens possess the right tools to turn that loss into a gain of knowledge.
29 – That’s NOT How You Do It! by Ariane Hofmann-Maniyar
Lucy knows how to do everything. All her friends ask her for help if they need to know the right way to do something. When Toshi arrives, Lucy thinks he can’t do anything properly at all. And when she finally tries to teach Toshi the right way to do things, she learns a very important lesson herself.
30 – A Whale of a Mistake by Ioana Hobai
When you make a mistake―a big mistake, a HUGE mistake―it can weigh you down or even swallow you whole! As one kid finds herself swept away by her whale of a mistake, she takes readers along on a journey of emotions. When the girl pauses to stare at the night sky, she realizes something important: there are as many mistakes in the world as stars in the sky, and maybe she can handle it after all.
Book 31 – The Day Roy Riegels Ran the Wrong Way by Dan Gutman and Kerry Talbott
At the 1929 Rose Bowl, talented center Roy Riegels picked up a fumble and made an incredible sixty-five-yard run. There was just one problem: Roy Riegels was running the wrong way! The perfect non-fiction book for any library!
32 – Bubble Gum Brain by Julia Cook
I have Bubble Gum Brain. Chewing on my thoughts, flex, bend, and stretch my brain, and expand the way I think! I make great mistakes that help me learn.
33 – The Dot by Peter Reynolds
“Just make a mark and see where it takes you,” Vashti says she can’t draw, but her teacher thinks she can. She knows there’s a 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 begin to perceive herself differently and see that where there’s a dot there’s a way…
Mistake Book 34 – Mistakes Are How I Learn: An Early Reader Rhyming Story Book for Children to Help with Perseverance and Diligence (Amazing Affirmations) by Kiara Wilson
Mistake Book 34 – This story will help your child know that he/she is not alone when facing defeat. Tamara shares what she does when confronted with challenges.
35 – Regina’s Big Mistakes by Marissa Moss
When asked to draw a rain forest during art class, Regina is afraid of trying and failing, a feeling recognizable to all school-aged children.
36 – Salt in His Shoes by Deloris Jordan
Michael Jordan’s family steps in to share the invaluable lesson of what really goes into the making of a champion—patience, determination, and hard work.
Book 37 – A Big Mistake? by Richelle Lovegrove
When Summer’s best friend compliments the necklace her kokum (grandmother) gave her, she remembers her Elder’s teaching and gives the necklace away. But when her kokum comes over for supper, Summer worries that she made a big mistake by giving away such a special gift.
38 – I Choose to Try Again: A Colorful, Rhyming Picture Book About Perseverance and Diligence by Elizabeth Estrada
In this rhyming story, Kiara learns how to keep going even when things get too hard. Through colorful illustrations and rhythmic rhymes, Kiara reflects on her mistakes and realizes that mistakes help her grow. Instead of avoiding them, she learns from them so she can improve.
39 – Mindset Matters by Bryan Smith
Amelia is her name and conquering new challenges is her game! She’s an up-for-any-adventure second-grader who’s eager to try new things, provided nothing can go wrong. With her new outlook and self-confidence, she discovers success has many definitions, including conquering challenges and overcoming obstacles.
Mistake Book 40 – The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken
As one artist incorporates accidental splotches, spots, and misshapen things into her art, she transforms her piece in quirky and unexpected ways, taking readers on a journey through her process.
I know I am going to be adding tons off of this list of 40 Books About Learning From Mistakes to my classroom library! I hope that through direct instruction, modeling, and additional SEL activities, students will begin to boost their self-esteem. Do you already have any of these books in your libraries? Any additional ones to add to this list?!? Remember, everyone makes mistakes.
Written by – Christopher Olson
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