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< Picture Books Library
Little Parachutes Gold Star Winner
Categories: Anxiety, Confidence & Self-esteem, Courage, Curiosity & Creativity, Feelings, Gratitude, Resilience / adaptability

Almost Anything

Encourages young children to believe in themselves and to persevere. Promotes resilience and higher self-esteem.
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Almost Anything by Sophy Henn

Author: Sophy Henn
Illustrator: Sophy Henn
Publisher: Puffin

“…when you give your magic a chance, you can do almost anything.”

George the rabbit’s friends are busy doing all sorts of activities: skating, painting, dancing, playing skittles and flying kites. George is reluctant to join in, believing he doesn’t have what it takes to be good at such things, so he sits and does nothing instead. Clever old Bear makes him a ‘magic hat’ from folded paper which allows the wearer to do almost anything. George tries rollerskating, and immediately takes a tumble, and Bear crucially explains that sometimes the magic takes a while to work, and it’s important to have another go. With a little more practice (and the self-confidence a ‘magic hat’ can bring), George masters roller skating and discovers he is actually rather good at lots of other things, too.  When George loses his hat, he believes he has also lost his new-found skills, until Bear gently explains that the hat was just folded paper and the real magic came from him.

Sophy Henn’s charming illustrations combine skilfully with her clever storytelling to make an incredibly appealing picture book with some really useful messages for children about not giving up and believing in yourself.

This video link is provided to help an adult assess the book's suitability for a child's situation before purchasing it. It has been filmed by a third party and hosted on YouTube and is not made by Little Parachutes. More info

The messages we found in this book:

Acknowledgement:

  • Trying new skills can be challenging, particularly for anxious children. Trying something and failing in front of other people is hard.
  • Sometimes it can feel like everyone else can do things ‘better’ than you.
  • It’s tempting to find an excuse to avoid doing something that you’re finding challenging.

Guidance:

  • New skills take time to master: you have to keep trying. If at first you don’t succeed….try again!
  • Making a mistake is not a bad thing, but a vital part of the learning process.
  • When you believe in yourself, you can achieve so much.
  • Joining in and trying new things can be fun.

Hope & Inspiration:

  • George discovers, to his delight, that he is really rather good at lots of things, but crucially, he has to make mistakes and learn by them in order to get there.
  • He becomes more confident and resilient; he learns that trying hard and being patient leads to great rewards. He is no longer put off by making mistakes.
Review by: Claire Ward-Dutton

Categories: Anxiety, Confidence & Self-esteem, Courage, Curiosity & Creativity, Feelings, Gratitude, Resilience / adaptability
Tags: anxiety, confidence, persistence, transition



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What is a Parachute Book?

A challenging experience can make a young child feel as if they are in emotional free fall. As a parent, you can’t stop them falling, but you can offer them a softer landing:
a Parachute Book.

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The information provided on the Little Parachutes website is not a substitute for professional care by a qualified practitioner, and is not intended to provide medical advice. If you are concerned about the health and wellbeing of yourself or children in your care, you should always consult an appropriate healthcare professional.