💔 11 books
Books for children who are hard on themselves
"I'm so stupid." "I'm rubbish at everything." Some children are their own toughest critic, and often it's the conscientious, capable ones who are hardest on themselves.
These stories give them a kinder voice to try on. They're about big feelings, getting things wrong and still being loved, and the idea that you can be proud of yourself before it's perfect.
For the kids 🎨
You Are Awesome
Matthew Syed
The growth-mindset book for older kids: effort beats talent, every time.
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The Pout-Pout Fish
Deborah Diesen
A sneaky-perfect read-aloud for sparking a fixed-vs-growth chat.
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What If…
Samantha Berger
For the child who says “nope” to anything new, a gentle nudge to try.
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The Invisible String
Patrice Karst
A reassuring read for hard goodbyes: you're always connected to the people you love.
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Barbara Throws a Wobbler
Nadia Shireen
Puts words and pictures to big meltdowns, so kids can recognise and talk through them.
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Bitter and Sweet
Sandra V. Feder
A gentle look at the mixed-up, bittersweet feelings around big life changes.
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The Magical Yet
Angela DiTerlizzi
Turns “I can’t do it” into “I can’t do it yet” — growth mindset in one sentence.
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The Dark
Lemony Snicket
Being brave doesn't mean not feeling scared — it means trying anyway.
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The Colour Monster: The Feelings Doctor and the Emotions Toolkit
Anna Llenas
Hands kids (and grown-ups) real tools for calming big feelings.
Buy on Hive →Tiger, Don't Worry!
Daishu Ma
Tiger breaks things and bolts. Owning up turns out to be the easier way.
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The Artist
Ed Vere
Not about the going-wrong bit, but how she finds her way back afterwards.
Buy on Hive →Three things to try alongside the books
- Name the feeling before you fix it: "You're really frustrated it didn't look how you wanted."
- Ask what they'd say to a friend who made the same mistake.
- Notice effort and choices out loud, not just results.
More on the thinking behind these in what is growth mindset?
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