Regina's Big Mistake | A Best Picture Book Review

by tandemonimom

Do you have a young child who lets perfectionism stifle her efforts? You need to get this book!

Regina's Big Mistake

Good for helping perfectionists but also a good book for any child!

Regina's Big Mistake holds a special place in my heart, as the book that helped my daughter learn to deal with her inborn trait of perfectionism. Especially helpful to me was the fact that Regina's frustrations in the book center on her imperfect efforts to draw, since I knew that my daughter had a considerable artistic talent that she was unable to express because she would become so frustrated when her efforts did not match the picture in her head.

Despite the fact that this is a "lesson" book, it is also a good picture book apart from the message. That is important to me, as it is a personal rule of my own never to sacrifice the quality of the story just because it happens to have a "worthy" message.

Regina's Big Mistake

Marissa Moss
Regina's Big Mistake (Sandpiper paperbacks)
Sandpiper
$7.99  $1.35

Story Synopsis

Regina's Big Mistake is a fairly straightforward story that will resonate with most children, but most especially with perfectionists who strive to be perfect and are frustrated enough to give up when their efforts do not match their expectations.

The teacher, Mrs. Li, passes out paper to the children to draw a jungle scene. When Regina makes a mistake and tears the paper, she gets one more sheet but is told to "draw around it next time; you're wasting paper." She's so afraid to make a mistake she starts to copy from the children around her, but makes hers slightly different when they complain to her that she is copying. Almost done with her drawing and pleased with it, she gives it a final touch - and makes a big mistake. Can she turn the mistake into a positive piece of her artwork? Finally she sees a solution and is able to make her drawing work.

Regina's Author/Illustrator

Marissa Moss

Marissa Moss is a children's book author and illustrator. She writes for children of all ages, from picture books to novels, including the popular Amelia's Notebook series.

The slightly soft-focus illustrations are soothing and comfortable with a sketchy look, as if mimicking a typical child's drawing, appropriate for a story about children drawing. 

The protagonist of the book, Regina, is a child of African-American descent. Her classmates are a wide mix of races, and the teacher, Mrs. Li, is of Asian descent.

Addressing Perfectionism

Is my child still a perfectionist? Well, yes, she is. My interest in this book was never to "cure" her, as her perfectionism is simply a trait she was born with. She is now a gifted artist, and I believe that the type of perfectionism she deals with is frequently called the "artistic temperament." 

But this book, along with one other titled Christina Katerina and the Box, did do exactly what I needed. Though very different in approach (Christian Katerina adapts instantly to any new circumstance), they were my curriculum to help her to learn to look beyond the "mistake" that didn't appear exactly the way she had wanted it to appear, and work with what is in front of her. Of course, the better she learned that lesson, and the more she drew, the more her attempts did, in fact, look just like what she saw in her head.

In no way is the application of this book limited to perfectionists or to perfectionistic artists! Most children will feel as frustrated as Regina at some point, and it is a simple matter to help them transfer what they learn from Regina to whatever area they are attempting to master.

Find More Great Children's Picture Book Reviews

All book reviews on this page are personal favorites of my family!
Are you looking for a great picture book? These are my personal favorites, complete with book reviews. I hope you love these books as much as my children and I do!

Join Wizzley

Updated: 07/07/2011, tandemonimom
 
Thank you! Would you like to post a comment now?
7

Do You Have a Child Who Would Benefit from This Book?

Only logged-in users are allowed to comment. Login
Book Treasures By Brenda on 07/01/2011

My children are too old, but this sounds like a great book, too.

Jimmie on 06/29/2011

Another book on this theme (but tied more to artwork) is Ish by Reynolds. LOVE that book. If you've not read it, I highly recommend it.

Dianne on 06/28/2011

Another great recommendation. Thanks!

petunia on 06/28/2011

Oh we need Regina's Big Mistake around here!

Susan52 on 06/28/2011

Actually, there's an adult or two in my household who just might benefit from the lesson in the book. Sounds good!

You might also like

Snow White and Rose Red: Analysis

Snow White and Rose Red was a very popular fairy tale in the golden age of il...

Rapunzel: the legend, the fairy tale, the truth

Rapunzel is a classic fairy tale which origins can be traced more than thousa...


Disclosure: This page generates income for authors based on affiliate relationships with our partners, including Amazon, Google and others.
Loading ...
Error!