This is an interesting children’s book. It takes the concept of science and applies it to fairies whom have magic. I like the science concepts taught about photosynthesis, fog, gravity, etc. However it could be very confusing to a child to understand that the overall idea is nothing is magic; it just has an explanation we may not know yet. I’m not sure the book conveyed this very well.
I do really like the illustrations and that the glitter on the cover (and fairies in general) are likely to attract the attention of little girls. We certainly need more women in science! Ashley Spires (Canadian author and illustrator) does a good job of keeping the pictures light but contextual.

One caution here for those purchasing this: be sure you know the concepts in the book in advance! For example: they call fog ‘condensate’ which is correct but I could see a child not getting it based on the picture. You’re likely to get asked why gravity works, what is dispersion, and other things referenced in the book. So I’d recommend being prepared to answer some basic questions. For myself prior to reading this cute book to a child I’d brush up on dispersion and maybe condensate to be sure I could easily explain it. Remembering that knowing what something is and answering a child’s specific questions can be very different things!
Another thing to be prepared for is the termination of seeds exercise at the back of the book. You just know many children will want to immediately do it.

Overall this is cute enough. I like the scientific method presented, the use of science words (like hypothesis, method, photosynthesis, etc.). It’s a picture book appropriate for a bit of an older age due to its complexity of words. I’d even buy Fairy Science for as old as a 7-8 year old.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

This is a cute little book about a fairy, Esther, who believes more in science than she does in magic. While her fellow fairy schoolmates are learning about magic, she tries to interest them in science, to no avail. When a tree in their forest starts to wilt, the fairies perform various magics on it, while Esther does scientific experiments to discover it needs more sunlight. She clears a way through the canopy above the tree so it can get sun, and the tree gets better, but the magic gets the credit, and Esther is discouraged. But a couple of her classmates approach her, and want to know more about what she did, and she happily introduces them to science.
The illustrations are just wonderful, so much detail and fun things to find in each one! A good addition to any child's library.

#FairyScience #NetGalley

Incredibly adorable book, wonderfully illustrated and unique cutesy story idea. I love that the fairies are varying skin colours/looks too

A very cute picture book about the virtues of scientific method, Fairy Science follows Esther as she examines the fairy world with a critical eye and tries to explain natural phenomena using science in spite of the doubters that insist that magic is responsible for what she sees.

Great artwork, I look forward to seeing the final product.

Fairy Science is great! Esther is a fairy but she doesn't really believe in magic; she believes in science! A great story about asking questions, following your gut, and staying true to yourself. A fun read to share with any curious young reader and full of lovely, colourful illustrations. Definitely one I will be recommending!

Fairy Science by Ashley Spires is a a hilarious new picture book series, that introduces a charming, determined heroine as she learns about the world and celebrates the joys of curiosity and exploring science.

Esther is a fairy who does not believe in magic. She believes in Science. In fact she thinks fairy dust is just dandruff. She knows that she can convince the other fairies that science is real, it will just take the right experiment and test subjects.

I really loved this book and I will be buying a copy for my god-daughter. I liked how it showed, not everyone believes in science or scientific principle, but some do. (which is how it is in real life). I also loved it's adorable illustrations.

I requested and received an Advanced readers Copy from the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love this book and I want a copy for my personal collection. Esther is a fairy who does not believe in magic. She believes in Science. In fact she thinks fairy dust is just dandruff. She knows that she can convince the other fairies that science is real, it will just take the right experiment and test subjects. I love that in the end, not everyone believes in science or scientific principle, but some do. Which will beget more, and more. I loved this book, its ideas, its story, and it's adorable illustrations.

This book is FABULOUS. An absolutely wonderful tale with adorable illustrations that will surprise and delight readers young and old. Indeed, the ending isn't at all expected but adds another layer of realism, complexity, and a gentle message that even if things do go exactly the way you planned, you are still making a difference and inspiring others. Top that off with some sweet humor and a thorough introduction to the scientific method and you have a home run. The author also includes a science experiment that kids can try at home to cement their knowledge about the scientific method. This book has it all and could be used for story times, science programming, or a fun way to introduce an activity at home. Utterly brilliant!

This book is adorable and I love how sassy smart Esther is. The art is so cute.
“Ask a question. Do some research to find out more. Make a hypothesis. Do experiments. Study the results. Draw a conclusion.” Ester believes in science over magic and wants to study and learn more. She doesn’t win over all the other fairies but she convinces a few and teaches them more.
Awwwww, there’s a little experiment at the end.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ashley Spires writes some of the greatest little picture books around. Our first introduction to her work was the TD Grade One Book Giveaway of Small Saul in 2016 and since then we have been hooked on her brilliant writing, lovable characters and animated illustrations. Not only is she a fantastic writer but she is also a great all around human being, taking in foster cats to care for and love until they find their forever homes, but I digress. I’m here to tell you about the wonderful new book out this fall titled Fairy Science. I have been anticipating the arrival of this lovely little story as I’m newly drawn to books about out of the box characters loving on the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, math).

Esther is a fairy who does not believe in magic. WHAT? How could a fairy not believe in magic, magic is the essence of fairies. Esther is a firm believer in science to explain the world around her and she is very eager to share the scientific method with her fairy friends. It’s quite frustrating not only for Esther, but also Miss Pelly Petal. Esther takes on the task of figuring out why a tree in the forest is wilting. Through science she draws her conclusion and the tree begins blossoming again. Even though most of her fairymates still think magic fixed the tree, Esther does inspire a couple mates to learn more about science. One fairy at a time, one step at a time Esther is sharing her love of science with everyone.

Ashley Spires’ illustrations are captivating. They have a real animated quality and you could totally see them just as easily on your television screen as in the pages of her books. Fairy Science is bold and colourful, with the colours jumping off the pages right to the readers eyes. There is a lot to see and just like her other books, she leaves some little treats in the illustrations for you to discover. In Small Saul it was a little mouse. See if you can find Esther’s little animal buddy! Fairy Science is a fantastic little book to spark an interest and foster a love of science in all the young budding scientists in your life.

If you are a fan of her work, follow Ashley Spires on Instagram @ashleyspires. She posts a lot about her adorable foster kittens and also her own little fur babies Tessa and Scott, affectionately called The Asthma Cats. Look for an Asthma Cats book in summer 2021

Esther is a fairy who questions everything. She believes in science and tried to show her fairy fiends why it is so great.

A cute story encouraging kids to ask questions, do experiments and don’t follow beliefs blindly just because everyone else does. The illustrations were colourful and fun. I loved the sun bean experiment at the end of the book.

This super-cute book teaches kids about the scientific method in an easy-to-understand way. There's even a little experiment in the back for budding scientists to try.

Esther is a fairy, and as everyone knows, fairies are all about the magic. Except... Esther's not. While her fairy friends think everything can be explained away with magic, Esther knows that science is what underlies the wonders of our world. But when even the fairy school system teaches magic over science, scientists like Esther are in for an uphill battle. It isn't until she saves a tree by using the scientific method that she piques the curiosity of some of the other fairies.

You can definitely see the parallels between Esther's world and our own. The science versus religion battle is there, but it's not overpowering (and nobody gets excommunicated for their belief in science)! Esther simply continues with her observations and research, and when other fairies show an interest in what she's doing, she helps them learn more.

The illustrations are absolutely adorable, which I've come to expect from Spires. Even though this is a book about fairies for kids, its aesthetic isn't cloyingly sweet. There's still a lot of white space on the pages, which makes the whole book look clean and tidy like a spick-and-span laboratory.

The synopsis recommends this to fans of books like Ada Twist, Scientist, but I think it actually has more in common with Cece Loves Science by Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes, which also delves into the scientific method in an easy-to-understand way.