The Most Magnificent Thing By Ashley Spires
Published 1 Apr 2014 By Kids Can Press
Disclaimer: I received a review copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads
Summary: A little girl and her canine assistant set out to make the most magnificent thing. But after much hard work, the end result is not what the girl had in mind. Frustrated, she quits. Her assistant suggests a long walk, and as they walk, it slowly becomes clear what the girl needs to do to succeed. A charming story that will give kids the most magnificent thing: perspective!
What a cute little dream of a book! The Most Magnificent Thing features a girl and her pet dog who is on a mission to create the most magnificent thing. In her journey, she discovers what it means to explore creativity and the power of perseverance.
I loved this. As a preschool teacher, this is a book that I would definitely love to place in our centre’s library and introduce to my class. I loved that the main character is a girl who is an inventor. Often enough, I tend to hear the boys in my classroom say “but you’re a girl and that’s for boys”. After putting an end to that, I would always tell the children that gender should’t be a reason why you can and cannot do something.
I love simple little books like this that focuses on gender, different types of occupations and the use of imagination. I noticed that as the years go by the children in my class are more afraid to experiment be it with colours, or journal writings. This is a great book that shows the children that you don’t need something “perfect”, and that you should’t give up whenever things don’t go your way. It is always the journey, and never the destination.
The writing is simple enough for children aged 4 and above and good for those who are emergent readers. Teachers and parents, this is one for the shelves!
