• Age: 4 to 8
• Grade: p to 3
• Reading age: 4 to 8

New for fans of the runaway bestseller The Most Magnificent Thing, a story about the ups and downs of working with others.

A girl and her dog are ready to make something. She gathers her supplies, and they head to her favorite workspace - only to discover that her neighbor, along with her cat, got there first! Hmm, well, maybe they could make something together? Magnificent idea! So the girl starts cutting, hammering and gluing, while her neighbor considers, measures and calculates. Her neighbor believes in always measuring twice and cutting once, but the girl thinks that takes way too long. Tensions start to rise as it becomes clear they have very different styles of working. And even different ideas about exactly what they're making! Can they ever work things out as a team?

Blending humor with empathy to strike just the right note, Ashley Spires perfectly captures the emotional ups and downs of working with others in this celebration of collaboration in the creative process. As the girl perseveres through technical and emotional challenges, she learns that mistakes don't mean failure and setbacks are just part of the route to success. This amusing and inspiring picture book is part of the Most Magnificent franchise that includes books, a TV series and an award-winning short film. The series is a favorite among educators because of its growth mindset focus, and this title highlights another important theme in the classroom: teamwork.

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

... the message is that hard work and persistence, leavened with some imagination, can result in a creative triumph.—CM Magazine (Paise for The Most Magnificent Maker's A to Z)

... valuable advice for eager young makers and their inevitable impediments.—Kirkus Reviews (Paise for The Most Magnificent Maker's A to Z)

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)

Reassuring banter for any young maker hitting their first rough patch.—Kirkus Reviews (Praise for The Most Magnificent Idea)