Monday, October 17, 2016
Book Review: Zach Makes Mistakes
Author: William Mulcahy
Illustrator: Darren McKee
Interest Level: Ages 5 and Up
From the Book Jacket: For Zach, a class field trip to the museum is about more than cool exhibits—it’s about learning from mistakes and dealing with embarrassment. First he forgets to wear his field trip shirt, then he forgets the rule about not touching displays. His teacher helps him see that everyone makes mistakes—and how to use them to grow. Using an easy-to-remember tool, the Key to Mistakes, she shows Zach and readers a simple three-step process: Detect (find the reason for the mistake), Correct (fix the mistake if you can), and Reflect (think back about your mistake to find what you can learn from it).
Why It's On My Bookshelf: I am always looking for books to help kids understand mistakes are not failures - in fact they are a normal part of life. So I was super excited to see the Zach Rules series take on this issue. It teaches kids how to learn from their mistakes and something positive can come from it. Zach says when he makes mistakes he feels awful and tries to forget them. He learns nobody is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. I really liked the three-step process to teach kids how to deal with a mistake instead of beating themselves up. So happy to use this as part of my growth mindset curriculum!
A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful: