Ava wanted a trophy on her shelf. A gold one with handles, like the Speed Cup.

At Budget Bend, a plastic trophy cost seven coins. Ava had seven.

They went home to think about it. By the kitchen door was an empty cereal box. Louis picked it up.

“We could make one,” he said.

“A box isn't a trophy.”

Not yet.

Mum helped with the cutting. Louis held the cardboard steady on the table. Ava chose the shape of the handles: enormous loops, nearly bigger than the cup.

They covered it with leftover foil. One side stayed smooth. The other side wrinkled.

“That's the shiny side,” Ava said, turning it round. “And that's the extra-shiny side.”

The cup fell over.

Louis folded a wider base. Mum helped attach it. This time the trophy stood up.

“It still doesn't say anything,” Ava said.

Not yet.

She picked up a pencil. FASTEST IN SILVERTON was her first idea. Then she thought about the afternoon: the floppy handles, the falling-over cup, Louis's folded base.

On a little paper label she wrote, with Mum's help: MADE BY US.

They put it on the shelf. It leaned slightly towards the window, as if admiring its own reflection.

Ava still had seven coins. She also had a trophy that nobody in any shop had quite the same as.

“Shall we make another?” Louis asked.

Ava looked at the empty foil roll.

“That isn't a telescope,” she said.

Louis smiled. I could see his answer coming.