I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Maggie Sparks and the Alien Invasion is the fourth book in the Maggie Sparks series.
Maggies feeling troubled about her friendship with her best friend Arthur since he joined the science club at school. Since joining Arthur has made 3 new friends who love science like Arthur but Maggie finds science boring and feels left out. Maggies used to it just being her and Arthur and now doesn't know where she fits anymore.
When their class goes on a school trip to the space centre, Arthur and hid friends seem to know everything about space and astronauts. But when Arthur gets told some information that upsets him, Maggie gets mad, and her magic causes some mischief. A few days later, when she and Arthur are playing at her house, Maggie accidentally turns Arthur into an alien, and Grandpa has to come round to sort the chaos out.
This was another funny addition to this series and is a great book for understanding friendship, growing within one, and what being a good friend truly is.
I adore the illustrations in these books and especially love Maggies pet Chameleon who's just adorable.

My daughter loved it. The second book she has read in this series. Fun stories with great illustrations. These books are giving her more confidence in her reading. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Having the STEM intertwined with the adventures of these characters is a thumbs up for this series. We love the illustrations and the humor.

This was the 2nd Maggie Sparks story we had read and it was just as fun as the first. Perfect reading level for ages 6-8, but my 10 year old enjoyed it as well. We love the Illustrations and STEM that is tied into the story. Maggie is one of our favorite characters to read now.

Very cute, but not Mommy's fave Maggie Sparks!

Overall: 4⭐
Plot/Lesson:° 4📍
Smiles: 4😂
Illustrations: 4 🖌️

Suggested Ages:
Read To: 3+ y/o
(3 with good attention spans!)
Read By: 5-8 y/o

Themes:
STEM/Space, big feelings when encountering bias perceived or real, magic, and friendship!

Mom's Review:
While I really enjoyed the story overall, I did not care for how one adult-character interacted with the children. I understand this was meant to be a contrast for modeling good and bad behaviors but adults not acting as adults in children's literature never sits right with me. At the age this book is geared towards, I'm not sure they'll understand the nuance quite yet.

Regardless, that was the biggest lesson/discussion with the girls that stemmed from the book - those teachable moments are always a bonus. And we all enjoyed the "real space facts" sprinkled throughout the story.

"A's” Review:^
Chuck wasn't very nice and Mommy says we can still be polite and kind. That those two words don't have to mean nice. I think I understand the difference. But I know I understand the difference between how Maggie feels when Arthur seems to ignore her for his Space friends.

I like to read a lot and sometimes my friends just want to play on the playground instead of reading with me. But I just have to remember, "Only I can control me". So I can choose to let people's actors hurt my feeling OR I can choose to ignore that. Sometimes people like different things and they don't mean to leave people out.

C's Review:*
I loved all the space ships and how Maggie & Arthur get to almost go to space! It's one of my favorite things to learn about right now. And it was pretty silly when Maggie tried to help Arthur get to space. Whoops!
"Mom, can we put up our spaceship now? Please? And read it again in the spaceship!?"

Dad's Review:
(Full review to come! He was traveling for work!)

Thank you to Steve Smallman, Esther Hernando, Jolly Fish Press, & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!
All opinions are our own.

° = Our Plot/Lesson rating is how well the kiddos picked up on the morals/lessons learned or well received the facts were.
^ = A, "Ready to Read" level 3, voracious reader
* = C, learning her letters, but memorizes & stories well
Kids’ opinions are wholly accurate yet paraphrase, but I will call out their direct quotes.

My kids and I love the Maggie sparks series, and we love following along on all her kooky magical adventures! This was a fun magical mix of space, friendships, and self discovery. It had my kids laughing out loud several times with some good lessons mixed in. Can’t wait to read the next one!

Thank you NetGalley and Northstar editions for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

My 8 year old really enjoyed this story. She read it in a day! She loves fantastical characters and stories, and says this one is two thumbs up!

Thanks to Steve Small man, NetGalley, and the publisher for a free copy of the book.

Maggie and Arthur are growing up and learning that sometimes different interests can limit time together. Maggie doesn't really understand or approve of no longer being the odd twosome. Meanwhile Arthur is excited to join a new group of friends who love science too.

This was a fun, fast read that teaches lessons on how to be independent but still close friends. That it's okay to find different facts and hobbies interesting. For a young readers, this is the perfect example because ultimately they find a compromise. And both still care about each other's happiness.

Made for parents with kids transitioning from lower elementary ages to second and third grade.

It was pretty good. Some parts were not engaging for my kids. The ebook version was formatted oddly, so it was difficult to navigate.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great kids chapter book. This series is so much fun and kids will love it. I hope for more books in this series to be shared with kids.

I received an electronic ARC from North Star Editions through NetGalley.
Maggie is back and having some difficulty figuring out her friendship with Arthur. He has joined the science club and has become more serious. When they all go on a field trip, she stands up for him and then uses her magic to help him. However, things go wrong and readers see how quickly rumors can start. As expected, her grandfather is able to fix everything in the end.
A delightful and fun filled series for mid elementary level readers.

A magical mix of friendship, science, and spacey fun!"
Maggie Sparks is back—and this time, she’s trying to fit in with Arthur’s science-loving friends. With her usual spark (and a touch of magic), Maggie brings a sweet and funny story about being yourself, supporting your friends, and believing in big dreams—even outer space ones! Perfect for young readers who love a little STEM with their spells.

Maggie Sparks and the Alien Invasion was my first introduction to the Maggie Sparks series. It was very fun! I enjoyed the underlying themes of being accepted for who you are, standing up to bullies, and engaging with your friend's interests even if they are not what you are interested in. I thought the storyline was fun and the illustrations went along perfectly. I would highly recommend this book!