Not Perfect [Hardcover]

From the creators of Not Little, the intrepid Dot is back with an endearing story about embracing the mistakes that let us build new skills.

Dot is good at a lot of things, but good isn’t perfect. Perfect is her sister’s blue-ribbon painting, or her brothers’ first-place tie in the spelling bee, or her mom’s black belt in tae kwon do. Dot tries and tries, but all she has to show for it is funny-looking cupcakes, off-key piano squeaks, and almost-goals in soccer. Nothing she does is perfect.

When Dot and her classmates get an assignment to make a poster about a person they admire, Dot has someone in mind right away: her best friend, Sam. But draft after draft comes out looking all wrong! How will she ever make the perfect poster for her perfect friend?

Fans of Dot and Sam and new readers alike will melt as Dot keeps on trying in this relatable companion to Not Little, featuring Maya Myers’s effortless narrative voice and Hyewon Yum’s irresistible illustrations.

A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year Dot's path to finding confidence and appreciating what matters will likely strike a chord, uplift, and reassure. —Booklist

An sweet narrative promoting resilience and embracing imperfection, this is an amiable addition to the shelves. —School Library Journal

First-person narration effectively conveys a child’s insecurities, and it deftly explores the mutual admiration in young friendships to reinforce both stick-to-itiveness and els&