The Beautiful Spill

Read the whole book

Every page, starring our demo kid — this role goes to your child.

1. 1

   Today is a big day! Your Child is going to paint a very, very important picture — a present for Mom. The brushes are ready, the paints are ready, and Your Child's heart goes thump-thump with excitement.

2. 2

   Stroke by stroke — a golden sun, a soft green hill. The brush goes swish, swish, and the colors glow on the paper. "Wow, it's beautiful! Mom will love this."

3. 3

   Just a little more blue for the sky… Careful, careful… then an elbow bumps the table — uh-oh! The big paint jar wobbles, wibble-wobble, right at the edge of the table.

4. 4

   SPLOOSH! Blue paint splashes right across the whole picture. Blue drips run down the golden sun and down the green hill — drip, drip, drip. The important painting is… ruined.

5. 5

   Big tears roll down Your Child's cheeks, plip, plop. "My important picture… it's all wrong now. I want to throw it away and start over!" Even the paint jars seem to hang their heads.

6. 6

   Your Child wipes the tears away and tilts a look back at the picture. Wait a minute… that big blue splash under the sun… it looks just like a little pond! Your Child steps closer, blinking.

7. 7

   "The sun can shine IN the pond!" Your Child grabs the brush and paints little yellow ducks bobbing on the water. One duck, two ducks — quack, quack! The picture is coming back to life.

8. 8

   Flick, flick — now Your Child splatters tiny dots on purpose! The dots over the water turn into dragonflies, and the dots on the hill turn into little flowers. "More magic dots!" Your Child laughs.

9. 9

   Finished! A glowing sun, a soft green hill — and a glittering pond with two little ducks. Dragonflies dance over the water. It's even more beautiful than the plan!

10. 10

    The picture goes up on the wall, right where everyone can see it. Your Child pats the paint-smudged smock and grins: "Spills aren't scary — mistakes can bloom!" Tomorrow, a brand-new sheet is waiting.