Yes I Can!: A Story of Grit (Cloverleaf Books ™ ― Stories with Character)

Jada’s family looked on as she lined up four flower pots for her science project. Dad told her that one of her friend’s sent her a text message and asked Jada if she wanted to respond. No, she didn’t have time because she was “learning if plants grow best in water, milk, juice, or soda.” Friends were important, but this was a science project that needed attention. Jada watered her plants, measured their growth, and then wrote down the results in her journal. It was easy to see that some of the plants were doing better than others. Look at pot number one! Jada’s ruler showed that it was seven inches tall. No, Jada really had to work on her science project even though it would be more fun to talk to Lisa.Jada had a determined look on her face as she wrote in her science notebook when the doorbell rang. Hmmmm, who could be at the door? A few of Jada’s friends arrived to see if she could go out to play. “Can you play with us?” asked Diego. Well, no because Jada had to work on her plant science project, but told him that perhaps tomorrow would be better. Back to writing in that notebook! Jada was planning on finishing her project, but the interruptions continued. All sort of things began to go wrong just when she needed to work with on her project.Kitty wanted to play with her plants, baby brother almost knocked one over, little sister wanted the juice she needed, and Dad wanted her to move her plants. How could Jada work with all these problems? Work, work, work ... that’s all she could do. It began to grow dark and Jada closed her eyes and sat in front of her laptop. “Whew! I’m finally ready to write my report.” There was still work to be done and even the kitty had fallen asleep under her desk. Would Jada be able to finish her science project or would she finally give up?Young students will love reading about Jada, a gal with lots of grit and determination. Everyone can relate to the fact that procrastination and putting things off is so much easier than focusing and sticking to a goal. Jada, like many young students, would much rather have fun with her friends than work on her science project. This book is a great one to learn about grit and the character-building process. The storyline is captivating, easy to relate to and even the most reluctant reader will want find out if Jada succeeded. The layout of the book is illustrated with full-color, full-page illustrations that are very appealing. There are numerous sidebars that add to the text. For example, one explains that “People with grit work hard toward long-term goals.” In the back of the book is an index, a glossary, a Make a Goals Journal project, and additional recommended book and website resources to explore.Age Range: 5 to 8 yearsGrade Level: K to 2STORIES WITH CHARACTER: Bundle of Nerves: A Story of Courage Enough to Go Around: A Story of Generosity In It Together: A Story of Fairness In Your Shoes: A Story of Empathy We All Have Value: A Story of Respect Yes I Can! A Story of Grit This book courtesy of the publisher (to the library).