The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes
AUTHOR: Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein
ILLUSTRATOR: Mark Pett
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
COPYRIGHT DATE: 2012
ART MEDIUM: not listed
GENRE: humorous story, contemporary realistic fiction
LIFE SKILLS: personal best, responsibility, flexibility
SYNOPSIS: In her town, Beatrice is known as the girl who never makes mistakes.
When she makes her first mistake on a stage, she laughs about it and it changes her
whole life and attitude – in a very good way.
BOOKTALK: How many of you have never made a mistake? Beatrice has never
made a mistake in her life, and that can be hard on a kid! Tonight is her talent show,
but can she make it through the show without messing up?
AUTHOR: Mark Pett and Gary Rubenstein
Gary Rubinstein teaches high school math by day and is occasionally a comedian by
night. He is a two-time recipient of the Math For America master teacher fellowship.
In addition to coauthoring this book, he has written two guidebooks for new
teachers. He lives in New York City with his wife, Erica, and his daughter, Sarah.
Other books written by the author:
Beyond Survival: How to Thrive in Middle and High School for Beginning and
Improving Teachers
Reluctant Disciplinarian: Advice on Classroom Management from a Softy Who
Became (Eventually) a Successful Teacher
ILLUSTRATOR: Mark Pett
He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Tiffany, and their two children, Millie
and Cleo. He is also the creator of the syndicated comic strips Mr. Lowe and Lucky
Cow.
Other books illustrated by the illustrator:
The Boy and the Airplane
Lucky Cow
Mr. Lowe
YHBA Picture Book Committee Title Activity Form, Last Revised 2012 1
CHALLENGING WORDS (…due to pronunciation, spelling and/or defining):
List any words that students might have difficulty with
juggling
mistakes
rhubarb
refrigerator
wobbled
auditorium
stomach
laughter
audience
delicious
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. How do you feel when you make a mistake?
2. Explain Beatrice’s reaction when she makes a mistake during her performance.
She could have cried or ran away, but she laughed. Why do you think that is?
3. How can you learn from your mistakes?
4. Why is it important that everyone just calls her “Beatrice” at the end?
ACTIVITIES with CORE STANDARDS:
Language Arts activities, include Core Standards
Write about time you made a mistake. What lesson did you learn from this mistake?
Draw an online comic to represent your mistake and the lesson you learned using
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/.
CCRA.W.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.
1.W.3 Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately
sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened,
use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of
closure.
CCRA.W.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to
interact and collaborate with others.
1.SL.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to
clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
RELATED INTERNET SITES:
YHBA Picture Book Committee Title Activity Form, Last Revised 2012 2
http://www.markpett.com/authorstrator/ - website for Mark Pett
Video on how to juggle
http://www.meetmeatthecorner.org/episodes/juggling-for-kids
YHBA Picture Book Committee Title Activity Form, Last Revised 2012 3
