The Magic of Mistakes and More with Shanda McCloskey

The Lil' Leaders Podcast

Today we are thrilled to bring you another big leader feature. Meet Shanda McCloskey, an incredibly talented author/illustrator, renowned for her captivating children's books such as Doll-E 1.0, Nubby, and Little Red and the Big Bad Editor. Shanda joins us to share how embracing mistakes can pave the way for unexpected growth and creativity.

Picture Book Recommendations: a. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes Authors: Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein Illustrator: Mark Pett

Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once!) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. 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!

But in the end, readers (and perfectionists) will realize that life is more fun when you enjoy everything—even the mistakes.

b. Beautiful Oops! Author and Illustrator: Barney Saltzberg This interactive book demonstrates how every mistake is an opportunity to make something beautiful. Unique in every respect, this book is full of pop-ups, lift-the-flaps, tears, holes, overlays, bends, smudges, and more, each demonstrating how blunders can become wonders. Celebrate all life's Beautiful Oops! and teach kids that it's perfectly fine, and sometimes fortuitous, to make a mistake. Cool Q's For Discussion:

1. Which parts of Shanda's discussion resonated with you the most? Why?

2. Which strategies or tips did Shanda share that you want to try the next time you face a tough situation?

3. Did anything Shanda share surprise you or change how you think about making and embracing mistakes? If so, what?

4. What is your main take away from today's episode?

Have a great week!

Keep reading and keep leading,

Tina