Peter H. Reynolds


Say Something

Written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Age range: Preschool through 3rd grade.
Recommended for: This book encourages children to share their ideas and to make a difference with their voices, actions, and art. It’s a great start to talking about what children can do about injustices they see or problems they care about (e.g., racism, climate change, bullying at school). This book explicitly states right at the beginning that children can say something in any way that fits for them. “You don’t have to be loud. Powerful words can be a whisper. You can say something in so many ways. With words, with action, with creativity.”

The Dot

Written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Age range: Preschool through 2nd grade.
Recommended for: This is a lovely read for a child who is reluctant to try something if they think they’re not good at it or won’t be good at it. It shows how just getting started can be the beginning of a new passion and a sense of accomplishment. It also suggests that being “good” at something is often a limited construct and that there are many ways to define success.

Ish

Written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Age range: Kindergarten through 2nd grade.
Recommended for: This story is an excellent read for a child who gets stuck on a creation needing to be perfect. It encourages children to create (i.e., draw, write) without focusing on getting something “right” by showing the value of imperfection (“ish”). It can also start a conversation about how the exact same creation can be criticized by one person and loved by another, so one shouldn’t put too much weight in someone’s negative opinion.