This book about perseverance makes me smile so big! The book is called Little One Step and it’s written and illustrated by one of my very favorite authors, Simon James. Don’t know Simon James? Well, have I got some GREAT books for you: Little One Step, my very very very favorite: Dear Mr. Blueberry, Baby Brains, and there are more but I haven’t gotten those reviews up yet. It’s been busy at preschool.
This book about determination for kids is really relatable. Three little ducklings (all siblings) need to get home and the littlest duck is so very tired. His legs are wobbly and he sees the tall, tall, trees and wide fields and the long way to go and things he just can’t do it. Then his brother tells him a little trick, that helps him, think about the exact thing he has to do — and do it.
I really liked the trick, which involved telling himself to just take “one step” and taking the step at the same time as he told himself to. There’s more to it, of course, but it comes down to how the little duck talks to himself in his head. The words he says to himself matter.
Mom loved that the book taught the duck to look at the immediate task in front of him. She told me that the duck didn’t have to think about all the steps he had left, instead he had to think about taking just one more step. Only one more step. And then to do one step at a time. Mom asked me to think about a time I was super tired and think how it would feel to think of all the way I had left to walk and then think about taking only one step. I told her thinking about one step would help me move closer to wherever I was going.
Along the way, the scenery changes, step by step… but the little duck is too busy repeating his words, which mom called his mantra “one step.” Before we all knew it, including the duck, he had gotten where he wanted to go.
Mom likes to find stories on overcoming challenges and creative problem solving techniques for kids and this book we all like very much. And well, it’s a Simon James book, so we knew we would love it before we even started.
Buy the book on Amazon or buy the book on Bookshop
What was your favorite part of this book about perseverance? Please let me know on Facebook!
Perseverance Printable for Kids
We made this perseverance maze to tie into the book. Can you help the little ducks find their way to the mountains?
After you complete this determination activity, aka this cute maze, check out the many free activities on the website of Simon James!
We hope you love the mindset of the book about perseverance as much as we do!
