If At First...
- discoverbookjoy
- Jan 10, 2016
- 2 min read
"There are parts of the wrong things
that are really quite right"
"Try, try, again" is a common enough theme in children's literature and it is a relatively simple lesson to teach to even very young students. It also happens to be an incredibly difficult one - for children as well as for adults - to actually live out. In her picture book, The Most Magnificent Thing, Ashley Spires breathes new life into this well-worn message through her touchingly relatable story about purpose, perspective, and persistence.
No matter your age, taking risks of any kind is an uncomfortable place to be. While some of us struggle with it more than others, no one enjoys the feeling of failure or the crippling sense of inadequacy. The unnamed protagonist in Spires' story knows all about risks and failure. She has an idea that she feels certain she can turn into reality. She has a loyal friend by her side and enough confidence for the both of them. But after trying again and again and again and again and still not creating the magnificent thing she envisioned, the heroine must navigate her way through feelings of frustration, impatience, and even explosive anger to find flexibility and - eventually - success.
The illustrations in the story are deceptively simple, but a deeper look at them reveals the extent to which they add to the overall mood and message of the story. While the characters are detailed, colorful, and very much in keeping with Spires' signature style, the 2-dimensional scenery is strikingly sparse. They of course direct the reader's eye to the parts of the story we should be paying attention to, but there's more to it than that. The building sketches are reminiscent of first drafts or early concepts, and the obviously linear quality of the background does well to reflect the rigidity of the main character as she spends most of the story struggling to approach her problem with an open mind and a fresh perspective.
Taking a deep breath and trying again after failure is a lesson that children need to repeatedly hear in order to apply, especially as they are forced to realize that their own magnificent ideas will sometimes turn out wrong. But the message in Ashley Spires' encouraging story goes well beyond that of an oft-quoted mantra. This simple but profound book shows through both words and pictures how success is not possible unless we first learn from failures, and how it is through taking risks that we discover we can do the most magnificent things.
Want to read more from Ashley Spires?
Pick up her newest release, Over-Scheduled Andrew, on January 12th!
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