The Gritty Little Lamb (Gritty Kids®)

I thought the book was interesting and very well written, with a great message. I really liked that it is set in a world that I really love - board games. Our daughter is very competitive - as a result we have been known to let her cheat at Candy Land from time to time - so it was exciting to see her engage with the story and have her put herself in the main character's shoes (and there was a good message in there for parents to not always let their kids win). Through the story, we were able to teach her that practice and perseverance to get to a job well done can be as important as "winning" in the end. Additionally, the art work was great and very engaging - both my 4 and 2 year old enjoyed the pictures throughout. This one has become an instant favorite in our house.

“It all happens bit by bit, so when you say I can’t do it, don’t forget to add a yet!” Such a fun story to read to my nieces! There are many lessons that are applicable even to adult readers and great discussion points with the littles. This story will surely be cherished for years to come!

Being a father of two little kids myself (just like the author of this book), I see on a daily basis how disappointed children can get when things don't go their way, especially when they don't "win" at games. This book has a much needed and positive message about the value of accepting we can't be great at something unless we put in the effort and patience to become better. This book is a light-hearted and fun way to make this important topic accessible to children.

The first thing I have to say is that the illustrations in this book are VERY well done! No child will be disappointed with them. (Or adult for that matter.) As for the story: I enjoyed it, and the rhyme had a steadier rhythm than many I've read through the years. It was also a great lesson in perseverance - something we all need. It is true MOST of the time that we get better at something the more we practice. However, there is another side to the coin that we also have to acknowledge at some point in time or we will do our children a great disservice. In fact this story overlooks a couple of important points. There are some things we will not master no matter how much we practice. I don't care if you make your child practice singing 12 hours a day. If he can't carry a tune in a bucket, (and trust me - a LOT of people can't), he is never going to be a world famous baritone in the biggest opera house on the planet. If he cannot sing, he is only going to be frustrated and depressed AND think you are very disappointed in him. A parent needs to encourage children to excel, but it is also our responsibility to help them understand their limitations and help them discover what their talents and strengths truly are. The other problem with this story is that it gives the idea that winning is everything. It isn't. We need to understand that sometimes we will win, and sometimes we will lose; but we need to learn how to lose gracefully. If we stomp our feet and take back our basketball or knock the game off the table (or make a mess of whatever we're doing), no one is going to want to play with us after a while. This is a lesson a child HAS to learn or he will not have any friends! I know this firsthand. My granddaughter's problem was that no matter what you played with her, she had to tell you everything to do. We use to play Shopkins. She would tell me which character I would be. Then when we played, I would make up something to do with my character like buy a purple hat. Oh, no! I had to buy the green purse! When I said I didn't want a green purse, she had no qualms about telling me I WAS going to get the green purse. She even told me exactly what I could SAY! Well, I am the grandmother, but after a while I flat out refused to play with her. This adorable, cuddly little girl would come home from school time after time absolutely miserable because no one would play with her. I said I didn't blame them: I wouldn't even play with her, and I loved her to infinity and beyond! It took a long time and a lot of work for BOTH of us, but she finally figured out how to play nicely - even if things didn't always go her way. Even when she lost if we played a board game. (In fact, when I won she actually began telling me, "Good job!" ) Yes, we NEED to encourage children to persevere because sometimes practice does make (near) perfect. However, there is a time and place for honestly explaining that perhaps golf isn't their talent: had they considered hockey? You've seen them on ice skates, and they're pretty good at it. You also know how well they are at hitting the net in soccer. You just might help them find what they were born to do even if it isn't necessarily the first thing that interested them. And don't forget to teach them sportsmanship. Winning honestly isn't everything. Anyone who thinks it is will more than likely have a miserable life. They won't always win the game, get the blue ribbon, or get the promotion that really should have been theirs since they had trained the underling who did get the promotion. Who knows? Maybe the underling had a better attitude and didn't think the world owed him the best of everything. Maybe the underling found out that what the boss really wanted was someone who worked well with others, knew how to delegate, met deadlines, and wasn't just some yuppy "yes man". So teach your kids to work hard for what they want but to know they won't always win; and when they don't, they'd better be a good sport about it. Otherwise your unhappy children will grow up to be miserable adults, and you will be part of the reason. It is MUCH better to be part of the solution!

We got this book for our 3-yr old and 7-mo old boys and it was a hit! Our 3-yr old was engrossed from the moment we started reading. The rhyming nature of the story is fun to read and the pictures are great! Our 3-yr old noticed little details throughout that were very relatable. Overall, a great purchase and our family highly recommends!

The first time I read this one, I easily got hooked. It reminds me of how I've gone through. As someone starting in my field, this story reminds me that I can always start somewhere, and I don't have to start directly to the top. It takes some hard work, patience and even failure. The best line I always want to remind myself is not to forget to add a 'yet' whenever I tend to say I can't do things. Its fun and very inspirational. I hope there's more books that inspire kids. A great step indeed!

Great children's book. Had great variety in word choice while still being simple enough for my toddler to understand. He loves farm animals and had a good time reading the story. It's his new favorite bedtime story :) cute art style too and love the tractor! Great lesson for kids to learn.

In the story the author utilized a little sheep that wanted to succeed but had a lot to overcome. He got encouragement from his family and friends and soon his goals were met and he achieved to win what he wanted. The story overall encourages children to continue trying and come up with methods in order to succeed in their goals. Quitting is just that and should not be done. Children will have fun reading the story on their own or with family.

I liked that he played a game. I liked the rhyming words and learning new words. Wss sssssszzaassszzzaws&hghdh dgheyDf ccv bccb bc vbbgs

Love this book. Great story that is more than just an "entertainment" before bed, but teaches kids about resiliency and the need to keep working toward a task, despite set backs and challenges. Will read it to my 8 and 6 year old sons from time to time and will often reference the lessons it teaches when they are struggling with issues. Would recommend

Poor design and product quality. Very poor use of rhyme. Poor character development and heavy-handed lesson/message. Disappointed. Poor value for money.

Fun and engaging story for children. I would highly recommend this book. Kids will love it.

Bought it for my great nieces. My niece said it was perfect for dealing with an issue they were having with the youngest.