Regina's Big Mistake

by Marissa Moss

When asked to draw a rain forest during art class, Regina is afraid of trying and failing, a feeling recognizable to all school-aged children.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Art, Realistic Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Marissa Moss has written more than seventy books, from picture books to middle-grade and young adult novels. Best known for the Amelia's Notebook series, her books are popular with teachers and children alike. Her picture book Barbed Wire Baseball won the California Book Award gold medal. Moss is also the founder of Creston Books, an independent children's publishing house.

Reviews

[Toree Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a great book to use if you’re dealing with perfectionist in your classroom that never seem to be happy with their work. It is also great for encouraging students not to give up and to think outside the box to make something work.

1st through 3rd grade read aloud.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

In school, Regina, a young student, struggles to make a drawing. This book lingers over her worries (and all the drama she creates by comparing herself to nearby students).

I'll give this book FIVE STARS. May it comfort readers who have similar struggles.

BUT NOW LET'S GET TO THE WEIRD PART

According to no less an authority than the blurber for this book here on Goodreads:

"Regina is afraid of trying and failing, a feeling recognizable to all school-aged children."

WELL, HELLO

When I was a school-aged child, I wasn't "afraid of trying and failing." Never did I have conversations with my classmates like those in this book.

FWIW, I never had the slightest interest in drawing, either.

However, dating from elementary school, I was interested in writing; started doing that on my own, and have been doing it ever since. (Yes, I'm one of the many Goodreads Authors here.)

Most noteworthy: Although I've had some ups and down through the years, guess what?

Never, as a writer, was I "afraid of trying and failing." Never did I have conversations with my classmates like those in this book, only about writing.

So personally, my strongest takeaway from "Regina's Big Mistake" is my indignation that a blurber would presume to tell me -- and maybe some other Goodreaders -- what we've been feeling. Supposedly. Getting it sooooooooooo wrong!

This storybook is for its audience, just like any other book. Can't that be big-and-important enough?

[Alison Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think fear of making mistakes (especially in front of peers) is a pretty common anxiety among kids (and grown-ups!). This book's message is about how embracing mistakes can lead to your creation's strength and uniqueness.

Regina's assignment is to draw a picture of a jungle or rain forest. She starts a drawing but makes a mistake and crumples it up. The teacher tells her this new sheet is her last sheet of paper and that she needs to draw around any mistakes. Regina begins by copying her neighbor's ideas which does not go over well. She finally gets into her groove and then accidentally messes up her sun - so she turns it into a moon and turns her picture into a jungle scene at night. This ends up turning her picture into something special and unique. So, her mistake ends up being the best part.

I don't think that the illustrations are anything amazing. And the story isn't revolutionary. But the charm comes from how relatable Regina is. My favorite line, "Anything was possible as long as it was empty. But somehow her hand could never draw what she saw in her head." Regina may not seem strong but real strength doesn't have to be dramatic. It can be as simple as putting that crayon on the paper and then embracing your mistakes.

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this story! The moment I read the intro on the side of the flap, I knew it was so related to my teaching experiences. We usually assumed kids were always “young, creative, full of dreams”, but this simply it’s true. They need lot of scaffolding when they just learn to be creative. Regina’s frustration so resonates with me when teaching students that are slow learners or kids with special needs. I think nowadays a very big lesson that kids need to learn is it’s is okay to make mistakes and accept they are not perfect. Educators also need to learn how to guide students through trials and errors. The reason I give 4 stars because I kinda want Mrs. Li in the story to learn to provide more valuable advice when Regina got frustrated at herself, which would make the story more meaningful. Nevertheless, this author sure knows students and her illustrations are absolutely hearty to readers.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I shared this story with my students and it is a great first day of school book for art classes. It teaches students that when we make mistakes in art, there are different ways we can correct our work without getting frustrated. I think this story is great for young children as it teaches them to persevere when we make mistakes.

[Georgina Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember this story from an episode of Reading Rainbow! A delightful story of an artistic little girl struggling to make the best picture of a rainforest in her class. Relatable, inspiring and endearing!

A great story to show that kids don't need to be afraid to make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes can become a new source of unexpected creativity.

[Maria Salgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to help children learn about how to work through "mistakes" and turn them into opportunities. The illustrations are very nice and easy to understand. Can be used to talk about coming up with solutions to mistakes, animals, art, or jungles.

[Delina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Book 10 star

[Aneesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can really relate to this. Creative paralysis.

[Melissa]

A book that's stuck with me with a lesson that I should think about more often.

[Phyllis M. Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

See? Mistakes can be made into something wonderful!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me: This was a family favorite for years. This helped the boys overcome their angst and worry about making mistakes on the page when they were in their preschool and kindergarten years.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-2
Regina's problem in art class is a common one. Given a blank paper and crayons, the class is instructed to create a jungle scene, but no ideas come to her. She sneaks peeks at her neighbors' work (much to their indignation) and then makes a tentative start, borrowing from their ideas. Suddenly she is brainstorming easily and her drawing expands beautifully. Until . . . her crayon slips as she draws the sun, giving it a crescent shape.

Her creativity is still working, however. She turns the sun into a moon, adds stars and a blue background , thus transforming her picture into a night scene. Moss's crayon cartoons are exactly what is needed to depict the artistic endeavors of very young children. Simple lines and primary colors, all with the look of nothing more sophisticated than crayons straight from the box, mimic the styles of most six-year-olds. Illustrations and text combine for a pleasing effect, giving the reassurance that borrowed ideas can lead to something truly original.

Ruth Semrau, Lovejoy School, Allen, TX

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regina wanted her jungle to be perfect. But of course, who is perfect?

She tried everything to avoid mistakes - crumpling up her paper, dawdling, even copying at one point - but it's only when she learned to turn her mistakes into assets that her picture became the envy of the class.

This is a very common problem with small children. They want their hands to do what their minds picture, and are upset when they can't. (Heck, it's a common enough problem with adults, too!) Regina is very realistic with how she tries to cope with this issue, and models a very good example with her solution.

The book didn't draw me in as well as it might have, I'll admit, but it was well-written and illustrated.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regina wants to be a good artist like her classmates, but she keeps making mistakes and throwing her paper away. Finally, though, she learns to let go and follow the creative process. I would have really benefited from this book as a kid. This is a childhood experience that lots of kids have, and Marissa Moss portrays it well.

[Halee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I also read this book to my Kindergarten class. While it was a bit long and I began to lose their attention, they were still very much interested in how Regina would solve her big mistake of not being able to draw what the teacher asked her to draw. I think it would best suit first through third grade, but my class still enjoyed it. The girls enjoyed it the most.

[Wendy]

A book most of us can relate to, even as adults. A classroom assignment to draw a jungle challenges Regina. Everything she tries seems like a mistake or copying off her classmates. When she trusts herself the result is special.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always read this to my first graders. It helps with those that have a hard time just letting lose and being creative.

[Lindsey]

I love this book

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading Rainbow: Regina's Big Mistake

[Kaitlyn Halbrook]

This would be a great book to use to talk about mistakes. Everyone makes them, and we just have to learn from them and expand on them rather than erase every time we make one. The little girl was struggling to draw her jungle picture at first, but she ended up turning a few of her mistakes into a wonderful picture that her whole class loved.