Book: The Most Magnificent Thing
By: Ashley Spires (author and illustrator)
Published By: Kids Can Press Ltd.
Originally Published: April 2014
Age Recommendation: Early Elementary (K-2)
Story Summary:
The Most Magnificent Thing is a story about a young, ordinary girl who sets out to make "the most magnificent thing" with the help of her pet dog, referred to in the story as her "assistant." Setting out with high hopes and expectations, the girl begins to become frustrated as she can't get her invention to come out the way she envisions in her mind. The more she tries and fails, the more frustrated she becomes until her emotions explode and she gives up. Her assistant convinces her to go on a walk. The walk helps her to gradually calm down and gain new perspective on how to build her invention. In the end, she succeeds in making her desired invention. It may not be perfect, but to her it is "the most magnificent thing."
Review:
"The angrier she gets, the faster she works. She SMASHES pieces into shapes. She JAMS parts together. She PUMMELS the little bits in. Her hands feel too BIG to work, and her brain is too full of all the not-right things."
I am pretty sure we have all reached a moment of frustration in our lives. A moment when we feel like exploding. When we feel like giving up. As a teacher, I have had students who get upset or give up the moment they make a mistake or are struggling to understand something. Often it is my high-achievers that struggle with this. My little perfectionists. Just like me.
I love this book because it presents a very relatable situation and shows someone dealing with a very real emotion. It teaches children how to persevere. It also shows them that it okay to make mistakes and not get something just right the first time. People can learn from their mistakes! Not only that, but this book also teaches that something doesn't have to be perfect to be great!
"It leans a little to the left, and it's a bit heavier than expected. The color could use a bit of work, too. But it's just what she wanted!"
The illustrations of this book intrigue readers by the creative combination of colored images with simple black and white backgrounds. The author skillfully uses various fonts, text sizes, and text placement to emphasize and encourage reading with expression. With rhythm, humor, and relatablity, this simple story engages readers, while also offering opportunities for vocabulary expansion and topic discussion.
The Most Magnificent Thing is a great book to instigate discussion with children on perseverance, ways to deal with frustration, and how to have a growth mindset. I definitely recommend this book for use in classrooms! Though most suited for children in the earlier elementary grades, older or younger children (or adults) may also enjoy this book.
If you have read this book before, or choose to read this book after reading my review, I would love to hear what you think of it! Thanks!
