Having a growth mindset means knowing how to rebound after a failure or not giving up when learning something new. Children are incredibly resilient, but developing a growth mindset needs to be taught. Many students have a fear of failure, and many parents today prevent their children from experiencing it. Learning to fail is a healthy skill that will serve a child throughout their life. Come learn some of the activities and books we use to help students learn to have a growth mindset.
We don’t include links to the books since we would rather you go to your local bookstore. They can often find books for you, and you are supporting your local economy. We know the title says 40 books, but we lost track and there are more than forty listed.
We have a few different activities to learn about growth mindset and perseverance.
The Learning Pit Drama Circle is all about ways to work through frustrations when trying to solve a problem. Find it in our TpT Store ($USD) or BN Shop ($CAN).
This collaborative poster features a quote by Albert Einstein about perseverance. Our collaborative posters come in 18, 24, or 36 pieces so you can adapt them to your class. Students colour their own piece, and then they are assembled into a poster. Find the Growth Mindset Poster in our TpT Store ($USD) or BN Shop ($CAN).
We also have lessons about perseverance in our Life-Long Learning Unit that is part of our Health and Wellness series. Find it in our TpT Store ($USD) or BN Shop ($CAN).
Growth Mindset Picture Books
Picture books are great for read-alouds or independent reading.
The Oldest Student by Rita L. Hubbard; A 100-year-old former enslaved woman fulfills her lifelong dream by learning to read late in life. She proves it’s never too late to chase your aspirations.
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein; Beatrice is known for being perfect. Then one big mistake teaches her that messing up is okay.
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin; A dedicated young man studies snowflakes. He shows that passion and perseverance can turn curiosity into scientific discovery.
The Tortoise and the Hare by Jerry Pinkney; A timeless retelling of Aesop’s fable where a determined tortoise wins the race against an overconfident hare.
Scaredy Squirrel by Mélanie Watt; A nervous squirrel faces his fears when a simple spill forces him out of his comfort zone.
Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall; After bravely jumping off the diving board, Jabari discovers that practicing can make fear feel a lot less scary.
The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi; A gentle yeti and her daring friend form an unexpected bond while exploring the jungle and mountains together.
Emmanuel’s Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson; Based on a true story, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah cycles across Ghana on one leg. His story inspires others and shows one person can change the world.
When Sophie Thinks She Can’t by Molly Bang; With encouragement from her brother, Sophie learns that believing in yourself is the first step toward succeeding.
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman; Grace proves she can play any role—real or imagined—on the stage.
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein; On a tightrope between the twin towers of the World Trade Center, Philippe Petit walks into history in this stunning true tale.
Get your students to recommend books for your classroom. We’ll send this set of Book Recommendation Notes when you sign up for our email list. They can also be found in our Resource Library, along with many other general classroom forms to help you organize your classroom.
More Growth Mindset Picture Books
Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival; A boy hides his magical wings because he’s afraid of being different. Then he learns being himself is perfect.
Salt in My Shoes by Deloris Jordan with Roslyn M. Jordan; Young Michael Jordan learns that determination and daily practice can take you from the playground to the big leagues.
Charlotte the Scientist Gets Squished by Camille Andros; Curious Charlotte turns an ordinary day into a science lesson. It all starts when her cat sits on her experiment.
The Power of Yet by Esther P Cordova (inspired by Carol Dweck’s work); A gentle lesson that adding “yet” to self-talk can unlock perseverance and growth.
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires; A little girl sets out to build something wonderful. She learns that mistakes and hard work are part of the creative process.
Bubble Gum Brain by Julia Cook; A kid with a “bubble gum brain” shows how stretchy thinking and learning from mistakes helps you grow.
I Love Strawberries by Shannon Anderson; Sweet sibling memories and a love of gardening bloom when a family shares their strawberry harvest.
Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak; This fun nonfiction book explains how the brain grows with effort and mistakes.
And Even More Growth Mindset Books
A Little Spot of Perseverance by Diane Alber; A helpful “spot” character teaches kids how to keep going even when things get tough.
Brave Irene by William Steig; Determined Irene battles wind, snow, and thieves to deliver a duchess’s gown. Along the way, she proves her bravery.
Lola and the Troll by Anna McQuinn; Lola learns she’s braver than she thinks when she faces a loud and grumpy troll under the bridge near her home.
Flight School by Lita Judge; A penguin named Lucky dreams of flying. He proves that with passion and persistence, even the impossible can happen.
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty; Rosie learns that every failed invention brings her closer to success.
What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada; A curious child learns to nurture and embrace an idea that won’t let go.
After the Fall by Dan Santat; A retelling of Humpty Dumpty’s story. It explores the fear of heights and courage needed to try again.
The Bad Seed by Jory John; A misbehaving sunflower seed starts changing his ways. This story proves it’s never too late to grow.
The Smart Cookie by Jory John; A little cookie learns that being smart isn’t just about test scores. It’s about trying, learning, and staying curious.
And the Last of the Growth Mindset Picture Books
Oops-A-Daisy! by Tony Ross; Daisy makes one little mistake that leads to another and another. She begins to see that mistakes are part of learning.
Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg; A spilled paint splatter becomes a colourful surprise. This is a celebration of mistakes that lead to creativity.
Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae; A giraffe named Gerald discovers that finding his own rhythm makes dancing—and life—magical.
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers; A young boy dreams of catching a star. He learns the value of imagination and patience through his mistakes.
Penelope Perfect by Shannon Anderson; A perfectionist learns to let go of rigid routines and finds joy in flexibility and mistakes.
The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright; A timid mouse teams up with a proud lion to learn that bravery isn’t about size, but heart.
Ish by Peter H. Reynolds; Ramon learns that making “ish” art is just as meaningful as aiming for perfection.
The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do by Ashley Spires; Lou learns that trying something new—and failing—is part of growing up bravely.
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall; Jabari overcomes his fear of the diving board with encouragement, courage, and a big leap.
Be You! by Peter H. Reynolds; A joyful invitation for children to embrace their unique imagination and creative spirits.
I Have an Idea by Hervé Tullet; A playful celebration of imagination as ideas pop, grow, and transform across the page.
The Perfectly Messed-Up Store by Patrick McDonnell; Phoebe and her grandfather open a wonderfully messy store where imperfection is perfect.
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds; A frustrated artist finds her creativity when she makes a single dot and embraces her own unique style.
The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken; A series of drawing “mistakes” evolves into something more beautiful than the artist imagined.
Novels and Longer Pictures Books for Older Kids
We have another post with novels that feature young protagonists who have a growth mindset. You can find the post here. If you’re looking for an inspiring book that you can read with the class over a few days, check these out.
The Incredible Thing by Nature’s Spirit; A small act of kindness spirals outward, showing how one simple decision can make a big difference.
The Boy Who Grew a Forest by Sophia Gholz; Based on Albert Costa’s real-life reforestation work in Guatemala, this story shows how one boy planted over 100,000 trees.
Giant Steps to Change the World by Spike Lee; A powerful tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King that helps children understand and honour their legacy.
All the Way to the Top by Annette Bay Pimentel; Inspired by Gaston “Wheels” Bess’ political journey, this story shows how a young boy in a wheelchair ran for student council.
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen; After losing a leg, a teen runner learns about resilience, friendship, and finding a new purpose in sport.
She Persisted inspired by Chelsea Clinton (various authors); A collection of inspiring stories about girls and women who overcame obstacles to achieve their dreams.
Do You Teach Language Arts?
We have several posts to help inspire your students to be readers.
- 15 Ways to Engage Readers During Your Read-Aloud
- Help! I Don’t Know How to Teach Reading
- Practical Strategies for Reluctant Readers
- Give Your Reading Instruction an Easy Twist
Do you have some suggestions for our list? Be sure to tell us about them in the comments below.
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