Despite being a fairy, Esther doesn't put much stock in magic iry dust looks a lot like dandruff, if you ask her. Data and hard evidence are where it's at, but, much to her dismay, she and Albert the blue bird are the only ones in Pixieville who believe in science. With electric purple hair and warm brown skin, Esther is frequently seen wearing lab goggles and with a pencil tucked behind her pointed ear. Her effusive explanations of the scientific method, dispersion (vs. a magical rainbow), and the periodic table of elements aren't well received by her fellow fairies ("Where are dreams and wishes and sunshine?"). But when Esther discovers a sick tree in the forest, she knows science is exactly what will save this sunlight-deprived plant, and her thorough research even produces a couple of fairy converts. Spires' latest is a funny, clever celebration of science that makes it feel magical in its own right. Readers will adore smart and scrappy Esther's indomitable spirit and the silly yet effective juxtaposition of fairy tale and scientific inquiry.

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)