Ages 3–8 · Picture Book · 32 pages
Dumpster, Leave It!
Every puppy has something to learn…and Dumpster is no exception! Join Dumpster, a lovable and curious farm puppy, as he explores life on a busy family farm filled with laughter, animals, and unexpected adventures. His playful spirit and occasional missteps create opportunities to discover that mistakes don’t define us. With loving guidance, patience, and grace, they become moments to learn and grow.
- Themes
- Grace · Forgiveness · Family
- Ages
- 3–8
- Format
- Paperback
- Scripture
- Psalm 32:8
A Story That Continues Beyond the Final Page
Dumpster, Leave It!
Sometimes God uses the most unexpected teachers to help us discover the greatest lessons.
Every puppy has something to learn…and Dumpster is no exception! Join Dumpster, a lovable and curious farm puppy, as he explores life on a busy family farm filled with animals, laughter, and unexpected adventures. His playful spirit and occasional missteps remind children that mistakes don’t define us. With loving guidance, patience, forgiveness, and grace, they can become opportunities to learn, grow, and try again.
Dumpster, Leave It! is more than a charming story. It is a faith-filled picture book that helps children discover the importance of listening, learning from mistakes, offering forgiveness, and trusting God’s loving guidance.
Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully written, the story is designed to continue beyond the final page. The book includes a Family Faith Connection, Scripture, and family prayer, along with a FREE Family Faith Guide filled with activities and conversation starters to help families explore God’s truth together.
Whether shared at bedtime, during a homeschool day, or as part of family devotions, Dumpster, Leave It! creates opportunities for children and the people who love them to talk about mistakes, grace, forgiveness, and what it means to keep growing in faith.
Perfect for Ages 3–8
Children Will Discover
- Learning from mistakes is part of growing
- The importance of listening and trying again
- The gift of grace and forgiveness
- How God lovingly guides us as we grow
“Sometimes God uses the most unexpected teachers to help us discover the greatest lessons.”
Why We Wrote Dumpster, Leave It!
Every child makes mistakes, but mistakes never have the final word.
In our family, we call it “failing forward.” Dumpster, Leave It! was written to help children understand that a mistake can become a stepping stone toward wisdom when it is met with love, patience, encouragement, and grace.
Our prayer is that Dumpster’s story reminds children that God’s grace is greater than our mistakes. With His loving guidance, every stumble can become another step toward Jesus as children learn to trust God’s Word and grow into deeply rooted followers of Christ.
Family Faith Connection
Rooted in Scripture
Psalm 32:8
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”
Psalm 32:8 (ESV)
Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:32 (ESV)
Proverbs 3:5–6
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5–6 (ESV)
Growing Together in Faith
Continue the conversation by reflecting on the story, discovering God’s truth, and encouraging one another as you grow together in faith.
Reflect on the Story
Think about a time when you made a mistake or needed someone to help you make a better choice. How did it feel when someone guided you with kindness, patience, and forgiveness?
Discover God’s Truth
God loves us, teaches us, and guides us as we grow. Even when we make mistakes, we can trust Him to help us learn, make wise choices, and try again. How does knowing God lovingly guides us help us listen and learn?
Live It Out Together
What is one way our family can practice listening, forgiving, or showing kindness this week? How can we encourage one another to trust God’s guidance and grow more like Jesus each day?
Family Prayer Time
Pray together after reading.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for loving us, even when we make mistakes. Thank You for forgiving us and helping us learn and grow. Teach us to listen, make wise choices, and trust Your loving guidance each day. Help our family show kindness, patience, forgiveness, and joy to one another. Guide our words and choices so that we may share Your love with others and grow more like You each day.
In Your name we pray,
Amen.
Butternut Publishing Mission
Growing Deeply Rooted in Christ
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
Colossians 2:6–7 (ESV)
It is our prayer that every Butternut Publishing story helps children grow deeply rooted in Christ, firmly established in God’s Word, and overflowing with thankfulness as they walk with Him each day.
Free printable
Continue the Adventure at Home
Download the companion printable created especially for Dumpster's story. Each printable extends the message of the book through Scripture, family prayer, biblical encouragement, and simple faith-filled activities that help children learn from mistakes, trust God's loving guidance, and apply His truth to everyday life.
The printable includes
- Scripture Focus
- Bible memory verse
- Family prayer
- Biblical encouragement
- Faith-filled family activities
- Conversation starters about listening, forgiveness, and wise choices
Bring Dumpster home
Order Dumpster, Leave It! and share a story that plants seeds of grace, forgiveness, and joyful obedience.