Grade K–3Engineering & Perseverance

Grace Builds an Almost-Perfect Dog

Written by Curtis Manley

Illustrated by Tracy Subisak

Grace wants a dog more than anything — but her family can't have one. So she does what any resourceful, engineering-minded kid would do: she builds one. With tools, wire, and a whole lot of determination, Grace sets out to design the perfect dog. But as any engineer knows, the first version is never quite right. Grace Builds an Almost-Perfect Dog is a joyful, STEM-forward picture book about the design process, the power of iteration, and what happens when you love something so much you're willing to keep improving it. Written by Curtis Manley and illustrated by Tracy Subisak, it's a warm celebration of creativity, persistence, and the unexpected ways we find what we're really looking for.

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From the Library Director

Grace Builds an Almost-Perfect Dog is a genuine standout in the growing genre of STEM-forward picture books — and what sets it apart is that it never feels like a lesson. Curtis Manley has written a story that is first and foremost about a child who wants something deeply and goes after it with everything she has. The engineering process — design, build, test, revise — emerges naturally from Grace's determination rather than being imposed on the story from outside. Tracy Subisak's illustrations are warm, detailed, and full of personality; Grace herself is a wonderfully drawn protagonist: focused, creative, and utterly unselfconscious about her ambition. This is a perfect book for STEM units, maker spaces, and any classroom conversation about what it means to keep going when something doesn't work the first time. It also opens up beautiful discussions about what we're really looking for when we set out to build something — and what we find along the way. Highly recommended for K–3.

Big Idea

Great things are rarely built perfectly on the first try — the willingness to try again, adjust, and improve is what makes an engineer (and a person) truly great.

Discussion Questions

1
Grace can't have a real dog, so she decides to build one. Have you ever wanted something you couldn't have and tried to find a creative solution? What did you do? Did it work?
2
Grace's first dog isn't quite right, so she keeps improving it. What does it feel like when something you made doesn't work the way you hoped? What makes you want to keep trying instead of giving up?
3
Engineers design, build, test, and revise. Can you find those steps in Grace's story? What does Grace test? What does she revise? Why is testing important before you decide something is finished?
4
Grace calls her dog 'almost perfect.' Do you think anything can ever be truly perfect? Is 'almost perfect' good enough? When is it okay to stop improving something, and when should you keep going?
5
What qualities does Grace show throughout the story? Which of those qualities do you think is most important for an engineer — or for anyone trying to make something new?
6
Grace uses tools and materials to solve a problem. What tools or materials would you use if you were building something to solve a problem in your own life? What problem would you try to solve?
7
By the end of the story, do you think Grace got what she really wanted? Was it the dog she built, or something else? What does the ending tell us about what Grace was really looking for?
8
Have you ever made something — a drawing, a building, a project — that didn't turn out the way you planned but ended up being good in a different way? What happened? What did you learn?

Activity: Build It Better: The Design Loop

Students experience the engineering design process firsthand — designing, building, testing, and revising a simple structure — and reflect on what iteration teaches us about persistence, creativity, and problem-solving.

1
Before reading, ask students: Has anyone ever tried to build or make something? What happened? Did it work perfectly the first time? Take a few responses, then introduce the book: today we're going to meet a girl named Grace who wants something she can't have — and decides to build it herself. Pay attention to how many times she tries before she's satisfied.
2
Read Grace Builds an Almost-Perfect Dog aloud, pausing to notice each time Grace tests her creation and decides to revise it. After reading, introduce the four steps of the engineering design process on the board: Design → Build → Test → Revise. Ask students: Where did you see each of these steps in Grace's story? What did she learn from each test? What would have happened if she had stopped after the first version?
3
Introduce the 'Build It Better' challenge. Each student (or pair) receives the same simple materials: 10 index cards, 30 cm of tape, and 5 paper clips. The challenge: build the tallest freestanding tower you can. Students must complete a design sheet BEFORE building: sketch your design, predict how tall it will be, and identify one thing that might go wrong.
4
Students build and test their towers. After the first build, measure each tower and record results. Then give students 5 minutes to revise — they may change their design, rebuild, or reinforce. Measure again. Ask students to record: What changed between version 1 and version 2? Why did you make that change? Was version 2 better? What would you change for version 3 if you had more time?
5
Gallery walk and debrief: students walk around to see each other's towers, then gather for a closing discussion. What was the hardest part of the challenge? What did you learn from your first version that you couldn't have known without building it? What does Grace's story teach us about what it means to be an engineer — or just someone who makes things? Close with a class commitment: this week, when something doesn't work the first time, we'll ask 'what can I revise?' instead of 'should I give up?'

Standards Connections

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K-3.3 — Describe characters in a story and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K-3.7 — Use information gained from illustrations and words to demonstrate understanding of characters, setting, or plot
NGSS K-2-ETS1-1 — Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool
NGSS K-2-ETS1-2 — Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem
NGSS K-2-ETS1-3 — Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs
SEL — Self-Management: Demonstrate perseverance and a growth mindset when facing challenges; set goals and adjust strategies based on feedback and results