Not Perfect

by Maya Myers (Author) Hyewon Yum (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

From the creators of Not Little, the intrepid Dot is back with an endearing story about embracing the mistakes that let us build new skills.

Dot is good at a lot of things, but good isn't perfect. Perfect is her sister's blue-ribbon painting, or her brothers' first-place tie in the spelling bee, or her mom's black belt in tae kwon do. Dot tries and tries, but all she has to show for it is funny-looking cupcakes, off-key piano squeaks, and almost-goals in soccer. Nothing she does is perfect.

When Dot and her classmates get an assignment to make a poster about a person they admire, Dot has someone in mind right away: her best friend, Sam. But draft after draft comes out looking all wrong! How will she ever make the perfect poster for her perfect friend?

Fans of Dot and Sam and new readers alike will melt as Dot keeps on trying in this relatable companion to Not Little, featuring Maya Myers's effortless narrative voice and Hyewon Yum's irresistible illustrations.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus

Kids struggling with perfectionism will learn a valuable lesson.

Review quotes

First-person narration effectively conveys a child's insecurities, and it deftly explores the mutual admiration in young friendships to reinforce both stick-to-itiveness and embracing imperfections. Yum's colored pencil linework, saturated waxy textures, and expressive rounded style on negative space all carry the same airy, playful energy as the book's indomitable protagonist.—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Maya Myers
MAYA MYERS is the author of National Geographic Readers Llamas and Puffins, and Little Kids First Big Book of Baby Animals. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, three daughters, two cats, and eight chickens.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780823451708
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Neal Porter Books
Publication date
April 02, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV003000 - Juvenile Fiction | Art & Architecture
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Frustration
Perfectionism

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