Perseverance in Picture Books

****Picture books about taking on challenges, showing resilience, moving on from mistakes.

I Wish I Could Draw by Cary Fagan

• Pub Date: 2014
• Cary isn't very good at drawing, but he keeps at it even when it makes him mad. 

The Thing Lou Couldn't Do by Ashley Spires

• Pub Date: 2017
• See also: POC on the Cover 
• Lou can't climb a tree. She tries to avoid the problem, but eventually she takes on the challenge.

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

• Pub Date: 2014
• A little girl gets frustrated when her project doesn't work as planned, but she takes a break and finds a way. 

Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken

• Pub Date: 2017
• An artist incorporates her mistakes into her work with lovely results. 

Float by Daniel Miyares

• Pub Date: 2015
• See also: End Pages Worth Noticing 
• A boy loses his paper boat down a storm drain, but he is ready for another adventure with a paper creation at the end of the book.

The Short Giraffe by Neil Flory

• Pub Date: 2014
• On my List: Problem Solving in Picture Books 
• A group of giraffes try and try to include the shortest giraffe in their group picture. 

The Almost impossible Thing by Barsuk Agaoglu

• Pub Date: 2017
• See also: Teamwork 
• A rabbit who dreams of flight tries all sorts of solutions, but he only succeeds when he gets other rabbits in on his plan. 

One Red Sock by Jennifer Sattler

• Pub Date: 2019
• A hippo tries on sock after sock looking for the right one and never finds the match. An author's note talks about not letting perfectionism keep you from trying. Maybe there is a "new perfect."