• Age: 3 to 7
• Grade: p to 2
• Reading age: 3 to 7

The long-awaited sequel to the runaway bestseller The Most Magnificent Thing that readers have been clamoring for!

The girl in this story, with her dog at her side, loves to make things. Her brain, she says, is an “idea machine,” so full of ideas that she can hardly keep up. But then one day ... it isn't. All of a sudden, the girl can't come up with a single idea for what to make. She tries everything: brainstorming, gathering new supplies, even jumping up and down on one foot to shake an idea loose. But, nothing. The girl realizes, with no ideas taking up space in her brain, it's filling with sad instead. What if she never has another idea again?

Award-winning and bestselling author-illustrator Ashley Spires ingeniously captures the ups and downs of the creative process in this delightful picture book starring the beloved characters from The Most Magnificent Thing. With her signature wit and dry humor, Spires keeps the entertainment level high for readers, who will be rooting for their heroine to get her mojo back. The detailed and expressive artwork humorously captures the emotional arc of the girl's process. This book offers a terrific character education lesson in patience and perseverance. It will provide inspiration to makers and visionary creators everywhere, encouraging them to believe that an idea is sure to come if they just give it the opportunity --- and if it comes from the heart. The Most Magnificent Thing inspired an award-winning animated short film in 2019.

Ashley Spires est diplômé de l'Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design. Artiste touche à tout, elle a créé des sites Internet, des livres et des marionnettes. Elle est auteure et illustratrice de plusieurs livres dont Quel génie!, la série Basile le chat de l'espace,Petit Paul, Chien recherche garçon et André est débordé. Ashley a également illustré Le Labo des malins par Shar Levine et Leslie Johnstone. Elle vit à Delta, en Colombie-Britannique.

Ashley Spires earned her BFA at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and went on to earn a graduate diploma in illustration from Sheridan College. She is also the illustrator of Binky the Space Cat. Ashley lives in British Columbia, but you can find her at www.ashleyspires.com.

Ashley Spires' profile page

• Short-listed, Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards, Ontario Arts Council (OAC)
• Short-listed, Chocolate Lily Book Award, Chocolate Lily Young Readers' Choice Awards
• Gold Standard Guild, Junior Library Guild

Reassuring banter for any young maker hitting their first rough patch.

Kirkus Reviews

This is a solid choice with a great message that encourages kids not to quit in the face of disappointment but rather to change their perspective and start over.—School Library Journal (Praise for The Most Magnificent Thing)

Spires' understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight.—Kirkus Reviews - Starred Review (Praise for The Most Magnificent Thing)

... readers will empathize with the young builder when her confidence is shaken, and admire her perseverance, skill and renewed enthusiasm... Magnificent ideas can arise, sometimes when they're least expected.—Canadian Children's Booknews

... readers will empathize with the young builder when her confidence is shaken, and admire her perseverance, skill and renewed enthusiasm... Magnificent ideas can arise, sometimes when they're least expected.

Canadian Children's Booknews