Fairy Science

by Ashley Spires

Overview

An enchanting STEM-and-fairy-filled picture book from the award-winning author-illustrator of The Most Magnificent Thing!

All the fairies in Pixieville believe in magic—except Esther. She believes in science.

When a forest tree stops growing, all the fairies are stumped—including Esther. But not for long! Esther knows that science can get to the root of the problem—and its solution!

Whether you believe in fairy magic or the power of science, you will be charmed by Esther, the budding fairy scientist.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780525581406
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	09/10/2019
Series:	Fairy Science
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.25(w) x 10.31(h) x 0.41(d)
Lexile:	AD540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ashley Spires is the author and illustrator of many books, including the bestselling The Most Magnificent Thing and the Binky the Space Cat series. She can usually be found making books, with a cup of tea and a pile of chocolate close at hand. While science was never her strongest subject in school, she's a big believer that there's a scientific explanation for everything—except maybe the internet. That is obviously 100 percent magic. Ashley lives in Ladner, British Columbia, with her husband, her dog, and far too many cats.

@ashleyspires ashleyspires.com

Editorial Reviews

"Readers will adore smart and scrappy Esther’s indomitable spirit and the silly yet effective juxtaposition of fairy tale and scientific inquiry.” –Booklist

"Fans of Ada Twist, Scientist, by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts (2016), and Charlotte the Scientist Is Squished, by Camille Andros and illustrated by Brianne Farley (2017), will enjoy Esther's tale. A magical addition to the STEM shelf.” –Kirkus 

From the Publisher

2019-06-10
A precocious fairy promotes the fundamentals of science in this picture book that informs as well as it entertains.

Esther is a long-suffering fairy skeptic stuck in a world where everyone around her believes in the power of magic. Esther, who wholeheartedly believes in fact over fiction, is convinced fairy dust is dandruff, foggy omens are just condensation, and that gravity is in fact the law. When a tree begins to wilt, the young fairies all try their best wizardry to bring the sapling back to life, but Esther deduces the harm done to the tree through an experiment based on the scientific method. After discovering that the young tree merely needs sunlight, her friends are now inspired to ask questions. Of course Esther has a home library of books and materials to put them on the road to becoming good scientists. The colorful digital illustrations offer whimsical details as purple-pigtailed, brown-skinned Esther and a bird sidekick work to promote science. Speech balloons add extra humor. Throughout the book, actual scientific principles are introduced to young readers in a way that's both holistic and fun, and the backmatter includes a seed-germination experiment. Fans of Ada Twist, Scientist, by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts (2016), and Charlotte the Scientist Is Squished, by Camille Andros and illustrated by Brianne Farley (2017), will enjoy Esther's tale.

A magical addition to the STEM shelf. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews