Winners Never Quit! by Mia Hamm

Illustrated by Carol Thompson.32 p., HarperCollins, 2004. Sometimes kids confuse their enjoyment of an activity with their enjoyment of accomplishment or compliments. Such is the case for the little girl in this story. Mia loves sports, especially soccer, which she plays well - most of the time. When she can't score a goal, she quits. "She'd rather quit than lose." The next day, the kids won't let her play with them. They explain that they don't allow "quitters" and that learning to lose is part of playing. But the day after that, Mia plays again. When the goalie stops her shot, she's about to fall apart again, but she realizes that "she didn't hate losing as much as she loved soccer." And she continues playing, knowing that playing is more important than winning or losing. the expressive, appealing watercolor illustrations draw children into the story. In a culture that many people feel overvalues credentials and loses sight of process, this story helps kids appreciate their subjective enjoyment and let go of the need to compete relentlessly in even a fun activity. Ages 4-7