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Ballet School Rumours (Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure Book 3) by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Kerry Carr

Ballet School RumoursBallet School Rumours by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the 3rd book in the Amberwood Hall Ballet School series. This is a really fun series for young readers. It is a beautiful mix of a story that includes themes that young readers relate to.
This is a fun story involving friendships, both paranormal and real and the problems that can occur.

We are back with Lauren and her friends at Ballet School. When her friend Katie decides to start a wall for gossip it seems like a good idea. Until rumours start about the strange things going on at the school. When one student inparticular decides he’s going to get to the bottom of it Lauren becomes concerned for her ghost friends Grace and Rodney.
In the lead up to the school production the rumours start to turn more sinister in nature and starts to cause rifts between the friends. Can Lauren find out who is causing the rumours before it destroys her friendships?

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Lauren West

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every book in this series gets better each time. I enjoy reading these books with my daughters because its bright and vivid pictures but also great lessons. Each story holds a certain value to it that you do not forget. Trezzie was great fun in this story and her life for under valued treasure presented big life lessons. The science and educational aspect was just a big bonus!

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tina Vega

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love these stories with their mixture of magic and science. What a great way to teach the kids who maybe don’t really enjoy science! This book is beautifully illustrated and easy read. I was wondering myself why Fig couldn’t see Tressie. The question was answered at the end of the book on an informative page which talks about magnifying glasses a little more. Looking forward to more of Tressie, Fig, and Maia’s experiences.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Angela Plate, July 2022

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Like all the others in this series, my son and I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a little more educational than the last one. He wants Fig to be able to see Trezzie.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars
The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass is a fun yet educational children’s book that I absolutely loved reading. My four year old son loves books and this author especially he says he learns so much from the Mermaid. We’ve read this book several times already and it is definitely going on our re-read list. Maia,Fig and Trezzie are back and this time we are going on another Science adventure where we learn how to make a magnifying glass with a drop of water. I highly recommend reading  book to find out if you really can make a magnifying glass with a drop of water ? My son and I look forward to reading more from this Author.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Sarah Devereaux

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom

I really enjoyed this book! As an Early Childhood Educator, this is a great book to teach young children about science and that one person’s trash may be another’s treasure.
This was not my first book by this author, and I am looking forward to more in the future and reading them to my students and my daughter. The illustrations are beautiful and keep the attention of the children having the story read to them.
Overall I highly recommend this book to anyone with children or any teachers and Early Childhood staff in childcare!

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The Graceful Ghost (Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure Book 1) by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Stephanie Nordling

The Graceful Ghost (Amberwood Hall Ballet School #1)The Graceful Ghost by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love how the protagonist isn’t what you would typically think of as a main character.
A ghost as the main is just brilliant! Without getting into spoilers, I love that she started out with a selfish (albeit worthwhile) mission. But she ends up understanding the real reason to complete it and doesn’t really care about the outcome for herself. The secondary main is such a sad character at the start, but she really grows as a character. I’m excited to see how the author continues this series with a ghost as the main.

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Ballet School Rumours (Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure Book 3) by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Stephanie Nordling

Ballet School RumoursBallet School Rumours by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I accidentally read this thinking that it was the second in the series, but I’m still happy to have read it. The author, as always, does an amazing job describing the technical bits of ballet. I can picture the scenes in my head without any effort. I love that Grace and Lauren continued to be joint protagonists. The added element of Nyree was just amazingly sweet. Now I need to go back and read the second entry to get to know the boys who have joined this world.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Ashley Westerman

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My kids absolutely love this series!!!! It is one of their favorites, and they get so happy and excited when I say there is a new one ready to read! The best part is getting to try the experiments with them. They have the best time with it, and we get to learn something at the same time. My favorite?! They don’t even realize they are learning something. It’s just fun! I can’t wait to see what else this author has for my kids (and maybe me) to learn!

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Wendy Rennewanz

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series)
By Lois Wickstrom

This is a cute short book that I think would be good for younger kids who like trying out different experiments with stuff you can find around the home. I like how Trezzie, Maia, and Fig all work well together, teaching kids about team work.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Heather Stanley

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a very charming story. It also had an educational aspect to it! I love when stories I read are both educational but also cute. It makes me want to recommend them to others. It also keeps the children engaged in the story. I loved that it was short enough to keep kids’ attention but also a story people would not mind reading again! The illustrations were beautiful. Would definitely recommend to those who have kids and are looking for a new educational, inspiring story.

Review by @heather26

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Amy Brennan

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a sweet little story! I really do enjoy reading this authors books to my daycare kids, as well as my own daughter. Their ages range from 1 to 9, and my 9 year old thoroughly enjoys reading the stories to the kids just before nap time too. As it’s a hot summer, we were most interested in trying to science experiment and will be doing so later today. She captures the attention of the audience, and keeps us coming back for more. What more could you ask for? Highly recommend the Mermaid science books to all those with little ones running around!

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Ballet School Rumours (Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure Book 3) by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Lauren West

Ballet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School AdventureBallet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wish I had began with book 1, but that will be my next read. I have been reading more YA stories lately and enjoying them, and this one moved quickly to the top of my list. This story had a number of great elements within it, and a wonderful cast of characters to play it out. The emphasis of friend ship, loyalty, honesty, and drama all entwined in this paranormal mystery is a great read for all ages. You will fall in love with Lauren, Grace, and Rodney instantly and will feel like your right beside them trying to solve this mystery.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kerry Baker

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This really is such a delightful series to read. Every time I tell me daughter there is a new one she gets so excited. The stories are engaging and perfect for the intended audience. It is also interesting and well written enough to entertain any adult involved with the reading. These books are always ones we have to read multiple times, which for me is all I need to tell me it is a success. A great book and a great series.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Barbie England

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wickstrom did an amazing job of explaining the science behind water magnifying glasses and told the story in a way that would captivate the attention of young readers. The story follows the friend duno of Fig and Maria. The friends are playing near a lake when Trezzie, a mermaid that only Fig can see, helps them build a magnifying glass to examine a fossil. The back of the book includes instructions that could be used to make one of our own. Teachers could use “Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass” to help illustrate ways that their students can investigate the world around them without the use of expensive equipment.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Donya Pedigo

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass, Mermaid Science, by Lois Wickstrom, is part of an interesting series of books that help the readers see that science is all around them, not just in a classroom. This is the 3rd book I’ve read in this series and I’m completely smitten. These books are not only a fun, fast read that can teach both children and adults about science, but they also have beautifully rendered illustrations, with fun colors and scenes.
Trezzie (the mermaid) collects trash people leave on the lake shore. With the help of her friends Maia and Fig they use a plastic fruit box to make a water magnifying glass so they can identify the rocks she found with unusual markings on them. It turns out that the rock is actually a fossil, which gives a great way to open a chat about what fossils are, where they come from, and even animal/ fossil classifications.
The author continues to write about easy science experiments/ projects that you can recreate and talk about while having a fun learning experience with children of multiple age levels. I think parents, teachers, and kids alike will love this book and learn from it. The last page goes into more scientific details about the science behind magnifying glasses, so even adults or older children can learn or refresh their knowledge. Do yourself a favor and get this series!

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kayla Kearney

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a cute, educational children’s story! I wish that this book had been around when I was a kid, I was always interested in stories about mermaids and have always had a fascination when it comes to anything related to science. I highly recommend that every parent reads this book to their kid, it definitely teaches you to think differently and might inspire some to become scientists in the future! The book definitely reminds me of the Magic Treehouse series, in that it teaches kids to think differently than a normal children’s book would, even though this is a picture book and the other series is not. I wish that I had kids of my own that I could have read this too, but I did read it to my younger cousin who definitely appeared fascinated by the story. I plan to buy some of the other books for her in the future, and for myself if I am ever to have kids of my own!

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Ballet School Rumours (Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure Book 3) by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Candice Estes

Ballet School RumoursBallet School Rumours by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a good junior range book. I read this one as a standalone, but may back up and read the first two or even have my daughters (8 and 9) read them. I had no issues reading this book as a standalone book. This book has several solid messages to it, such as not judging someone by rumors that you hear, and talking through issues with friends instead of just ignoring them and letting the issue continue to worsen.

Lauren and her friends are well formed characters and the story pulled me in pretty quickly and makes me want to read the rest of this series. Lauren and her friends, Katie, Ethan, Mark, Jay and the rest of the Year 10 students attend Amberwood Hall, a boarding school in which not only are academics important, but the students are also focused on ballet. Lauren, however, also has the ability to see the schools ghosts, though she is the only one who can. Lauren has befriended the ghosts, so she is desperate to help them in any way possible when a fellow student starts trying to find proof that they exist using an EMF device.

I would definitely recommend it for girls who are in upper grade school or lower middle school, though I do feel that it’s important to note that as the author is British, and the book is set in the Britain, there are some terms that will be different from the US terminology.

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Jake the Growling Dog: A Children’s Book about the Power of Kindness, Celebrating Diversity, and Friendship (Jake the Growling Dog Book 1) by Samantha Shannon – Review by Janel Bernotas

Jake the Growling DogJake the Growling Dog by Samantha Shannon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jake the Growling Dog: A Children’s Book about the Power of Kindness, Celebrating Diversity, and Friendship (Jake the Growling Dog Book 1) by Samantha Shannon – Review by Janel Bernotas

A sweet story about Jake, a happy-go-lucky dog who happens to growl all the time. He’s not mad or aggressive. It’s just how he is. This first book in the “Jake the Growling Dog” series teaches kindness, love, and understanding. It includes some thoughtful kindness sharing exercises at the end to help children spread love and care toward others. This has become one of my favorite childrens book series!

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Nakyshia Leger

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My kids LOVE the adventures of Maia, Trezzie and Fig! Trezzie is Maia’s imaginary mermaid friend who loves to show things to Maia. Even though Trezzie can’t see Trezzie, she follows Maia in her adventures. The bright colorful illustrations catch the reader’s eye, and go so well with the story that it is easy to follow along, even for young ones that can not read yet! I love that this story engages readers in a scientific journey. It gets the mind thinking and gets my little scientists wanting to try experiments of their own!

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Ballet School Rumours (Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure Book 3) by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Deb Robinson

Ballet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School AdventureBallet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is great for teenagers who enjoy dance, suspense, and teenage drama. Lauren is at Amberwood Hall school of ballet. Her one passion in life is dance. She is able to see Grace and Rodney who are ghosts in the school from the 1800’s. They are all close friends as such, as only she can see them. Her best friend Kate puts up an online website for students to talk about things they are interested in or things happening around school. It was a great idea until stuff starts to get posted that can affect them all. Can Kate and Lauren’s friendship survive? Read and find out.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shannen Kern

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such a cute book but also had useful knowledge as well. I like that it explained the topic of imaginary friends seeing as how not all young kids experience it, but others can feel included! My kids are 6 and 10 years old and they immediately ran out to test the water magnifying glass! It’s short enough to keep kids’ attention but introduces an easy experiment to try right away. I also appreciate the lesson on fossils in addition to the magnifying glass. A great book all around and would be great for hands-on activities at home or in the classroom!

Reviewed by @shannlynn

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kay Stritesky

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As always Lois delivers such a cute children’s book! I love how vivid the illustrations are in each of there and bonus they are filled with scientific facts for the kids! My daughter has enjoyed every one of these books with me!

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The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass. Review by Jennifer Ramos

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From the Mermaid Science Series, Wickstrom has given us another wonderful story between the characters, Fig and Maia, along with their imaginary friend, Trezzie, the mermaid. This story takes us to the exploration of one of Trezzie’s discoveries she finds of the trilobite fossil. As Maia and Fig are exploring this new fossil, they are able to examine it closely thanks to Trezzie dropping water droplets over the fossil, which helps magnify it. Now with a close magnification of the fossil, they can better associate this fossil with other creatures.
This story is so entertaining in so many ways! For those fantasy fans, it is always great seeing a mermaid in a story and their interactions with humans. It is also a great learning opportunity for children readers and brings a scientific element to their everyday stories in aspects of nature exploration, scientific tools, and animal/fossil classification. Another important concept taken from this story is that the story’s fossil exploration also allows readers and educators to make further scientific discoveries within the confines of their outdoors all in a no-cost method of using one’s finger to add water droplets to your specimen. Both adults and children can be scientists in their own backyards. Remember this great hands-on activity with your children!

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Ballet School Rumours (Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure Book 3) by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Kerry Baker

Ballet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School AdventureBallet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a quick and easy YA paranormal story that can appeal to people of most ages. The story is quick to pick uo even if you haven’t read the previous books, although it would be my recommendation to read them in order. The characters are all likeable and believable. It is easy to imagine kids of this age doing and saying the same things. I thought the author did a great job of portraying the age range and connecting with a range of audiences. This is an easy to read and likeable series that any fan of the genre worked enjoy.

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Ballet School Rumours (Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure Book 3) by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Megan Conley

Ballet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School AdventureBallet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A delightfully charming and cheeky read for a pre-teen/tween. This is the third installment in this series and while this could be read as a standalone, I recommend reading from the beginning so you can thoroughly appreciate the characters and plot. I really enjoyed Dixon’s characters and the relatable predicaments they got themselves into. I think a lot of young girls will relate to the main character, Lauren. I really enjoyed this quick read and would recommend this book to any young kiddo who enjoys ghosts, friends, and dance.

 

Reviewed by @meggs1717

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Ballet School Rumours (Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure Book 3) by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Katie Matthews

Ballet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School AdventureBallet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was really intrigued by the synopsis for this book and I wasn’t sure that I was going to enjoy but I loved that I was pleasantly surprised. The story was really easy to follow and I really liked the characters. When I first started the story I actually wasn’t aware it wasn’t the first book in the series and I think although I would have had a better understanding of some of the things going on had I read the previous two books I was quite happy reading it as a standalone however I would like to read the first two also as this was a great read. The characters were really likeable and relatable – I think it was easy to imagine yourself as a student at the ballet school.
I think this would definitely be a great series for younger readers but I also really enjoyed it as an adult!

@katiem
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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Paula R Sayers

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book in this cute series that mixes science with mermaids. Trezzie finds rocks that have patterns on them and her friend Fig teaches her how to make a magnifying glass to see them better. The pictures in this book are very pretty.

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Mikaela Insinger

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another wonderful addition to the ‘Mermaid Science’ series from the author! The story is sweet and has a trust that is illuminated through friendships. The science incorporated through the narration led to another experiment with my niece who loves these stories. We were able to have a great discussion about magnification and fossils because of this book. I will always recommend books from this author and this instalment is no exception- a great read for children!

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Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Megan Conley

The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass (Mermaid Science, #3)The Mermaid and the Water Magnifying Glass by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Very cute children’s story! I love the aspect of Trezzie as the imaginary friend that not every character can see. I also love how Lois Wickstrom weaves the scientific aspect into her story while still keeping it interesting for kids. The illustrations are colorful and eye-catching as well. Definitely a great addition to the series!

Reviewed by @meggs1717

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