The Thing Lou Couldn't Do by Ashley Spires

The Thing Lou Couldn't Do by Ashley Spires


Ashley Spires wrote/illustrated one of my all-time favorite picture books so I knew I wanted to check this one out as well. Young children often say they "can't do it". Spires book looks at Lou and her diverse group of friends to explore this topic. It starts with the many things Lou and her friends can do but transitions quickly to a problem that leaves Lou feeling unconfident and left out. It is typical of young children to encounter disagreements - both slight and great - as they organize their play. When the group consensus is to play pirates in the tree, Lou has a choice to make. She comes up with all sorts of reasons why she can't before acknowledging that she doesn't know how to climb a tree. Educators know how important it is that our students learn to tackle problems by looking for solutions and Lou models this as she brainstorms ways to get up in the tree.
As an educator, we focus quite a bit on how to build a growth mindset in our students. This book is an excellent addition to the classroom to help illustrate many of these concepts.

I received a dARC from the publisher via Netgalley*. Here is my honest review.
*expired. reviewed library book

I gave this book: ★★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    ★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it