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Iteration Is Normal
Shows that first attempts rarely work perfectly, teaching children that failure is part of the process, not the end.
Why It's On Our Shelf
The girl in this story has a clear vision of what she wants to make, but the execution keeps failing. She gets increasingly frustrated until she eventually walks away, comes back with fresh eyes, and figures it out. The illustrations by Ashley Spires show the mounting frustration in a way that's authentic and funny. What this book gets right is the maker mindset - iteration, failure, frustration, breakthrough. It doesn't sugarcoat how hard it is when things don't work, but it shows that taking a break and coming back can make the difference. It's become popular in maker spaces and STEM education because it captures the real process of creating something.
Why It Works
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Managing Frustration
Demonstrates that walking away when frustrated is a valid strategy, not giving up.
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Vision and Execution
Helps children understand the gap between imagining something and making it real, building realistic expectations.
Curiosity & Why
Ada Twist, Scientist
Andrea Beaty
Ada Marie's endless curiosity leads her to become a brilliant scientist.
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Curiosity & Why
What Do You Do With an Idea?
Kobi Yamada
A child nurtures a fragile idea until it changes the world.
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Curiosity & Why
If You Find a Rock
Peggy Christian
A poetic exploration of all the wonderful kinds of rocks to discover.
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