Ashley SpiresReseñas

Lou and her friends are BRAVE adventurers. They run FASTER than airplanes. They build MIGHTY fortresses. They rescue WILD animals." But one day, when they''re looking for a ship to play pirates in, Lou''s friend has an idea: "Up there! The tree can be our ship!" "Ummm ..." says Lou. This is something new. Lou has never climbed a tree before, and she''s sure she can''t do it. So she tries to convince her friends to play a not-up-a-tree game. When that doesn''t work, she comes up with reasons for not joining them --- her arm is sore, her cat needs a walk, you shouldn''t climb so soon after eating. Finally, she tells herself she doesn''t want to climb the tree. But is that true, or is this brave adventurer just too afraid to try?This delightful picture book from Ashley Spires, bestselling author of The Most Magnificent Thing, perfectly depicts what children go through when confronted with something difficult. With humor and endearing artwork, Spires sensitively portrays Lou procrastinating, making excuses, imagining alternatives and denying she cares. Ultimately, Lou faces her fear, and although she fails, the effort empowers her, encouraging a growth mindset. All the while, Lou''s friends model compassionate friendship by offering to teach her how to climb and then moving the game. This book makes a perfect choice for a character education discussion about courage or resilience, or a life-skills lesson on facing challenges. The story also promotes the joy of imaginative play in the outdoors.

Pirates

The cute has killed me.

Good, silly fun. A great view into the world of an adventurous, imaginative kitty.

I met an eight-year-old the other day who was not interested in anything but picture books, despite her mother's insistence that she move from the E's to the J's. I wish I had this book in at the time because I think it would've made them both happy. It's 64 pages and it only took me about ten minutes to read, but it passes as a graphic novel.

Another hilarious Binky book. Highly recommended for fuzzbutts ages 5 and up.

This is adorable! If your kid likes Perry the Platypus from Phineas & Ferb, they'll enjoy this graphic novel. It's quick and engaging, easy to read (I'd say it's for 8 and up?) and who doesn't imagine their pet is a secret agent?

Burt and his insect pals are back in another story about learning how differences make us unique.

This book is written in the same style as the previous title, Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite, with an omniscient narrator talking about different types of insects and Burt responding, rather despondently at first because he feels not up to par. While the charm is still here as well, the first book definitely worked better with a sweeter message about friendship and special skills.

That being said, this is still a fun read. It can kind of stand alone, but works better after having read the previous title first.½

Lots of insects have really cool features, like being very strong, but beetles like Burt aren't that special -- or are they? Can Burt save the day when his other bug pals get trapped in a sticky situation?

This was a super cute read about finding what's unique and helpful about yourself. I love how it's a very quick, appealing story while also being jam-packed with fun facts about various insects. I think it's a great way to get kids to learn by having fiction that incorporates nonfiction so seamlessly.

The illustrations are relatively simple, with few extraneous details, but help tell the story. They fit the humorous tone of the book nicely as well.

As with the rest of the books in the series it was completely wonderful. This is an A-to-Z book, however, it’s not short and it’s not simple. It reminds the reader and the parents that it’s OK to make mistakes. That sometimes you need to walk away. And that there are zillions of things you can imagine. Just put it to use and try. This book is just as wonderful as the rest of the books and series that will stay on library shelves for years to come.

"The Most Magnificent Maker's A to Z" by Ashley Spires is a delightful and educational children's book that takes young readers on an imaginative journey through the alphabet while celebrating the joys of creativity and innovation. Each letter of the alphabet is associated with a different invention or creation, inspiring children to explore their own inventive potential. With charming illustrations and clever wordplay, Spires encourages young minds to think outside the box and embrace the exciting world of making and inventing. This book not only entertains but also fosters a sense of wonder and curiosity in young readers, making it a perfect addition to any child's library.

Binky is a Space Cat -- certified to explore outer space (also known as "outdoors"). Smarter than his beloved humans Binky learns that aliens and bugs are one in the same. He vows to protect them from these evil invaders. Love how Binky is drawn, his ears/eyes give him the appearance of wearing a superhero mask. Could be fun to pair with a unit or nonfiction read on space travel.

All about never giving up....how sometimes we do indeed have to walk away from a problem (especially if it makes us angry) in order for it to get better!

Reading level: Grades K-2, Lexile 390L
Awards: Best STEM Books, Charlotte Huck Award, ALSC Notable Children's Books, Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, CCBC Choices, Junior Library Guild Selections

This was a fun non-fiction graphic novel for the earliest chapter book leaders. In it, we follow Bert the beetle as he tries to find a home. On his journey, we learned about various other insects, and what their homes look like and how they come about. This was a lovely, and that many kids will find interesting.

Author/illustrator Spires follows up The Most Magnificent Thing (2014) with a tale about the dreaded block suffered by creators of all sorts.

A light-skinned girl and her best friend, a small cream-and-brown dog, do all sorts of things together: They play and snuggle and fantasize. They also MAKE things! The girl builds “cozy things, whirling things and helpful things” with the help of her trusty assistant. “Her brain is an idea machine. It’s so full of ideas that her hands can barely keep up” until one day the idea machine jams and leaves her in a fix. She goes looking for an idea—“a MAGNIFICENT new idea”—high and low, far and wide, in boxes and books and the basement, and still comes up empty. “​​Without ideas taking up space, her brain fills up with sad instead,” and all of a sudden from the mess comes a problem needing to be solved. Newly confident that new ideas may not come every day but will come eventually, our protagonist sets off once again at top speed, assistant in tow. Presented simply, in a variety of panels and a few scattered spreads, the flat illustrations may not inspire a blocked young artist, but the message surely will.(This book was reviewed digitally.)

Reassuring banter for any young maker hitting their first rough patch. (Picture book. 7-9)

-Kirkus Review

It has been a wonderful trend that we are seeing more books that feature girls in STEM fields. The downside is that almost always these girls are depicted in ways that are considered less "girly." What I love about this book is that is shows you that not only can you be interested in science but you can also wear the pretty clothes, be glittery (or a fairy!) at the same time. We need more books like this.

This book is a great way to introduce children to the scientific method in a fun and accessible way. The story is brought further to life with great illustrations (which often offer their own additional little enhancements). I also really like that the book offers a simple experiment at the back which walks young kids directly through each step in a fun and manageable way. This would be great for teachers or parents with inquisitive, curious kiddos!

I really enjoyed the way this book encourages children to think, the science aspect is quite fun. The thought bubbles on each page distract from the story and vice versa. There is too much written in each thought bubble and it ruins the flow of the book.

Reading this aloud to a class, they loved the science concept and the experimenting. This brought about a little discussion on experiments they have done.

This book is about a fairy, who does not believe in magic, instead believes in science. Esther, wants to prove to the other fairies the power of science.

This is a fun story, which starts introducing scientific concepts (such as hypothesis etc…), best geared for 6+.

I did find however that the message was a bit lost on how science, nature and magic can coexist.

It has beautiful muted illustrations that are not overwhelming, yet is whimsical and imaginative.

Overall a fun story, especially for those children who loves science!

If there's a child in your world who resists magic and fantasy and instead embraces logic and reason, FAIRY SCIENCE might be the right book for that child! Esther is a fairy who finds "magic" an insufficient explanation for the happenings in her world; instead, she uses the scientific method to create experiments and controls, record her findings, and make new hypotheses.

I loved this book! It would have resonated with the young person I once was — I wish it had existed then, and I'm grateful that Ashley Spires and her publisher have made it exist now.

The illustrations are delightful, too. The fairies are soft, slightly goofy, and diverse — and Esther is a joy to behold with her test tubes, microscope, and notebooks.

Anyone building a STEM library or seeking to encourage pre-readers to understand and enjoy scientific thinking needs FAIRY SCIENCE in their collection. It's great!

A very cute introduction to science with the blend of magic vs science and added fairies! The experiment included at the end of the book is a great touch also!

An engaging story about Esther, a fairy that believes in science instead of magic. The illustrations are lovely and the length and pace are well done. Admittedly, I did find the subject matter to be a touch ideologically-driven, and the main character to be somewhat arrogant and dismissive of her peers and teacher. It read as though it was preaching a very specific point of view, and it's not likely something I would read to my children. Having said that, if you have a strong philosophical bent towards materialism, then this is the book for you.