This Would Never Happen to Rita

A stunning new picture book from Simona Ciraolo who, with wit, style and emotional insight, shows her readers that imperfections and making a mess are beautiful, vital parts of childhood.

A little girl and her best friend, Rita, are drawing together. Rita's drawing is very beautiful and her dad tells her that he will keep it forever. The girl looks at her own drawing. It's good, too, she thinks, but then ... she sees it: a stain. The next day, she finds another stain - an inky blue mark on her crisp white dress. This would never happen to Rita. The stain begins to blot everything and soon, it is all the girl can see. Everything is ruined. The stain, however, has other ideas. It begins to take on a life of its own - dancing across the pages of the book, speaking to the girl and encouraging her to see that it is not a mess or a mistake ... but something joyful and surprising. Life is full of beautiful mess.