Science Fiction

 

Summary of the book:

The book Fairy Science is a science fiction book. The book tells the story of a fairy named Ester who lives in Pixie Ville with other fairies. All the other fairies believe in fairy magic except Ester. Ester believes in science; she believes in facts, data, and hard evidence, all presented through science (Spires, 2019). A tree in Pixie Ville begins to become sick, weeping. The fairy teacher and the student fairies believe that fairy magic can heal the tree. Ester sees that fairy magic is not working, so she draws a plan using a scientific method, which gives her the conclusion as to why the tree is sick and what can heal it (Spires, 2019). Ester puts the plan into action; sunlight is needed. Slowly the tree begins to get better. Some fairies still believe that fairy magic healed the tree; however, some fairy students have started asking Ester questions about science and how it works (Spires, 2019). Now others want to learn science. 

 

Evaluate Genre/ Illustrations:

 The genre of the book, science fiction, focuses on how science gives answers by using scientific methods. Scientific methods provide facts, data, and hard evidence. Examples given in the book were explaining erosion and the occurrence of condensation. Even though all the fairies believed in fairy magic, Ester was determined to use science to solve the tree's illness. The text shows how applying the scientific method, Ester came to a conclusion and found a solution to heal the tree with more sunlight. Ester shows how the tree started to get better when sunlight was provided to the tree. Ashely Spires, the author of the book, completed the illustrations (Wikimedia Foundation, 2023). The illustrations used detailed illustrations to show how Ester applied science to heal the tree. The illustrators were colorful and very detailed. The bubble icons used stood out to me the most about the illustrations. The illustration prompts scientific principles.  

 

Motivational Activities:

 After reading the book: The activity in the book of growing the plants from seed could be completed with the class. A list of the steps to grow the seeds can be used for the students to check off as each step is completed. The students can take measurements and record the growth of the plants.

 

When reading the book: An activity can be used to teach the different scientific principles stated in the book. Discuss and/or even make a list of the different scientific vocabulary words and define the words with the students, such as erosion, condensations, etc. The scientific method is discussed in the book; the scientific method could be defined. 

 

Personal comments/ Author background information:

 Fairy Science prompted scientific principles in a way that drew the reader's attention. I liked how the book was presented; the illustration supports the text and gives a visual view of the words in the story. I would use this book in the classroom and do the activity of growing the plant at the end of the book. Ashley Spires is the author and illustrator of the book Fairy Science. Ashley is a Canadian children's author and illustrator with a 2014 best seller for the book The Most Magnificent Thing (Wikimedia Foundation, 2023).

 

 

References:

 

Galda, L., & Liang, L. A. (2016). Literature and the Child (9th ed.). Cengage Learning US. https://reader2.yuzu.com/books/9781305854987

Spires, A. (2019). Fairy science. Tundra Books.

Wikimedia Foundation. (2023a, April 12). Ashley Spires. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Spires#:~:text=Ashley%20Spires%20is%20a%20Canadian%20children%27s%20book%20author,and%20the%202014%20bestseller%2C%20The%20Most%20Magnificent%20Thing.