The Most Magnificent Idea

August 19, 2022

PreS-Gr 2-Spires's magnificent young inventor from The Most Magnificent Thing returns in a story about finding inspiration. The book begins with a review of some of the wonderful inventions the little girl has made, from the simple (a wooden ramp for ducklings) to the spectacular (a scooter with a sidecar for her dog). But now she faces an unanticipated challenge: she doesn't know what to make next. The girl searches for ideas on a walk, tries to brainstorm them onto paper, experiments with new supplies, and just sits and waits, but nothing comes. She worries that she will never get an idea again-until, eventually, she is inspired to help a neighbor solve a problem. The quirky illustrations of the girl, who has pale skin and brown hair, and her inventions pop against neutral backgrounds and white space. This time around, Spires recognizably illustrates some of the materials the girl uses in her creations, such as chicken wire, wood planks, and cardboard tubes, making the inventing process feel even more attainable to young readers. VERDICT A great read to share with young inventors about working through mental blocks, although arborists may be alarmed by what happens to a tree.-Lindsay Loup

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2022
Author/illustrator Spires follows up The Most Magnificent Thing (2014) with a tale about the dreaded block suffered by creators of all sorts. A light-skinned girl and her best friend, a small cream-and-brown dog, do all sorts of things together: They play and snuggle and fantasize. They also MAKE things! The girl builds "cozy things, whirling things and helpful things" with the help of her trusty assistant. "Her brain is an idea machine. It's so full of ideas that her hands can barely keep up" until one day the idea machine jams and leaves her in a fix. She goes looking for an idea--"a MAGNIFICENT new idea"--high and low, far and wide, in boxes and books and the basement, and still comes up empty. "​​Without ideas taking up space, her brain fills up with sad instead," and all of a sudden from the mess comes a problem needing to be solved. Newly confident that new ideas may not come every day but will come eventually, our protagonist sets off once again at top speed, assistant in tow. Presented simply, in a variety of panels and a few scattered spreads, the flat illustrations may not inspire a blocked young artist, but the message surely will.(This book was reviewed digitally.) Reassuring banter for any young maker hitting their first rough patch. (Picture book. 7-9)

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