Barney Saltzberg’s Beautiful Oops! (2010) really is beautiful. It is also kind–more on that in a moment.
Beautiful Oops! is a book about making art. It is also an interactive book, where readers–or the kids being read to–play an active part in making that art…from mistakes. The book starts with “Oops!” and then follows with a torn page. Turn that page, and the ragged tear becomes the uneven smile of an alligator. Next there’s a spill, and so on.
Each accident is transformed into genuine art. This transformation lets kids know that not only are mistakes common and okay, they can be the starting point for real and lovely art. I find this touchingly kind.
Creating this book definitely took both creativity and planning. I highly recommend it.
