George: A true story of his early years

‘George – A true story of his early years” describes the life of George, a young, gentle and patient puppy. Initially he struggles to find his own place between his greedy sisters and brothersbrothers and sisters but he settles in well with the Warren family who give him lots of love. However, his shy character and his inexperience makes him feel very nervous about playing with other dogs when going out into the big, wild world. Eventually, with encouragement, practice and his willingness to discover something new, he manages to overcome his fears and even makes friends for life! This book was created by the Growing Learners team at the University of Portsmouth (Prof. Sherria Hoskins, Dr Victoria Devonshire, Dr Frances Warren, Dr Emily Mason-Apps, Dr Joanna Nye, Dr Liam Satchell, Ms Mathilde Chanvin ). We are a group of education research psychologists who are passionate about supporting schools and parents in helping children to become resilient, confident learners. ‘George – A true story of his early years’ is a story underpinned by psychology and education theory (mindsets), aimed at promoting a Growth Mindset by highlighting the importance of tackling challenges, exploring different strategies, learning from mistakes, persistence and resilience in the face of difficulties. This is a great story for parents and teachers to read to younger children or for independent readers aged 4-7 years. At the end of the book, you will find some questions for discussion with your children, as well as Mindset learning points.