Beautiful Oops

Beautiful Oops, is a picture book that was written and illustrated by Barney Saltzberg. This is an interactive book for a younger audience, ages 3-5 years old, that shows them that it’s ok to make mistakes. Beautiful Oops encourages creativity in children. The author’s message to young children is that mistakes can become something beautiful. The author lets readers know that, “A mistake is an adventure in creativity, a portal of discovery” (Saltzberg). In this book, a spill becomes an animal. This heartwarming book reminds the audience to appreciate the creative minds of young children.  

 

The book’s illustrations are amazingly beautiful and full of spirit. The pictures look as though they were drawn by a child of preschool age. The lines that are used in the illustrations appeared pencil like. It almost looked like he drew lines throughout some of the drawings and then erased them. You can actually see the strokes of the paintbrush in the illustrations. He used a mixture of thin and thick lines in order to create the childlike nature of the drawings. The pages are full of smears, smudges, and splashes of paint. I am very pleased with this book and would recommend this book to parents and elementary schools.

 

Discussion Questions that enhance creativity:

 

What is your definition of creativity?  

How do you feel when you think that you have made a mistake? 

Can you make something beautiful out of splashes of paint, using only your hands?  

Do you like to pretend? If so, what do you like to pretend to be or do? 

How many things can you create using ripped up pieces of color construction paper?

 

Creative Activity (Make a bracelet or necklace out of straw):

 

 

 

 

Items Needed:

Different color straw

String/yarn 

Directions:

Cut up the straw in small pieces, about half inch wide. Pull the yarn/string through the straw pieces. Cut the string/yarn to desired size and tie a knot.

 

Others Books By the Author:

 

All Around The Seasons

I want A Dog

Kisses

Good Egg

Peakaboo Blueberry

 

Resources: 

Saltzberg, Barney. (2010). Beautiful Oops. Workman Publishing