For the younger set we liked the classic "Thomas the Tank Engine" stories by Rev. Awdry. The trains mess up all the time (one train gets distracted trying to think of a clever insult to say to another and crashes, etc. etc.) But they realize what they did was wrong and get another chance and keep trying.
We also liked the NOVA "Wright Brothers' Flying Machine". A group of present day folks try to recreate a Wright Flyer. Again there is a lot of failure and messy triumph and messy failure. It is salutary to see a group of very capable people try, struggle, succeed and fail.
