Most Magnificent Thing, The
Ashley Spires (2014), Kids Can Press
A little girl and her assistant (her dog) have a working relationship: she makes things, he advises, and sometimes knocks them down. She is working on “The Most Magnificent Thing,” but isn’t entirely sure what it might be. She plans, hammers, and builds – but cannot quite make it magnificent – so tries over and over again until she is frustrated and begins to work angrily. After hurting her finger, she decides to quit and take a walk, where she wanders past each failed attempt. Bit by bit, her frustration slips away, while piece by piece, the parts begin to look sort of right – leading her to realize that put together, they are the Most Magnificent Thing!
