I loved this early chapter book, and so did my 8 year old daughter. The aspect of thinking like a true scientist and her engaging experiement were captivating! This is an amazing early chapter book for future scientists. The Black representation is absolutely beautifiul!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

I adored this book. I picked up this book because I have two nieces that I look forward to being able to give books to. They may be too young for this book for a few more years, but I know I'll keep Cicely Lewis in mind when they are ready for chapter books.

I loved the invitation to young minds to pay attention to the world around them and how they can engage with science and experimentation at a young age. This book had many awesome elements, from depictions of proper chemical bond notation (subscripts!!), a quick depiction of the scientific method, and an invitation to play!

It's wonderful to see science depicted in such an achievable, understandable, and playful way. Even more, seeing natural hair celebrated beautiful. At the end of the book, a small page talking about the CROWN act gives kids an opportunity to learn more.

The illustrations done by Anastasia Magloire Williams were wonderful -- always fitting exactly with the text. They enhanced the words on the page, providing a window into Imani's world. The color choices, background elements, and style of illustration made the world alive. When in Auntie Neffie's shop, we watch Neffie mix up an oil moisturizer. The colors used on that page make you feel like she is actively mixing on the page. Excellent. The details in the background of the shop are incredible, I love the plants, the lighting, the shadows, everything.

Truly a wonderful book I can't wait to give to my niblings when they are old enough for it!

This is such a cute story about Imani trying to find an idea for her grade's science fair. Imani struggles with her science fair idea when her classmates take the simple ideas. However, after a trip to her Auntie's hair shop, she learns a thing or two about what ingredients it takes to keep natural hair looking healthy. I love this and would have loved having this as a child. This book embraces Black natural hair and ways to care for it. I also love the message that you won't know what it takes to win until you actually try.

What a fascinating story about natural hair and a science fair experiment! In the story, a girl creates a natural hair product for her science project. She employs the scientific method, comparing her homemade product to a store-bought one. It's a unique and enjoyable read, ideal for introducing science projects and their steps in a lesson. This story is perfect for inspiring STEM interest in young girls!

A special shout-out to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!!!

I loved this book! This is a great book for representation of natural hair. This is such a necessary read for classrooms and families. It is great for children to see themselves or learn about their friends and classmates’ experiences. I highly recommend this book. Thank you for sharing it,

What a wonderful way to teach children and adults alike not only how to love and accept themselves as they are but also to strive to go beyond the normal. This story is about a little girl who had the choice to either continue to do the same science experiments that are repeated year after year or to do something different. The author and illustrator both did a great job of bringing this story to life. Thank you Lerner books and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this story.

This book is part of the new Hair Magic Series. Imani and the women in her family have magi hair... a few quick magic words, and their hair is styled. There are six books in the series of easy reader chapter books about Imani.

In this book Imani needs to figure out a project for the science fair. All the classic experiments like a volcano or potato battery are already claimed. Her father encourages her to think outside the box. When she visits her aunt’s salon, “Neffie’s Crown Shop” and learns about natural hair care, Imani has her inspiration. Although the magic hair is a whimsical touch that I am sure people of color can appreciate, the magic of the story is in Imani’s attitude. She takes pride in her appearance and creates an experiment based on hair care. While many of the projects are tried and true, Imani’s project is a true experiment. She follows scientific method to create something unique.

This series is published by Lerner Books’ new imprint Read Woke™ Books which were created in partnership with Cicely Lewis, the Read Woke librarian. They are designed to reflect the diversity of our world. There is even an afterward about hair discrimination and the “Crown Act” which made it illegal. This series is a great example of representation in children’s literature, but the book is also fantastic because it shows a girl who has talent in science. Although the features that make us unique may vary, any child can enjoy this book where that uniqueness among us is celebrated.

I read an electronic review copy of this book from Lerner Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of the series.

Imani and the Great Hair Experiment by Cicely Lewis, is story about thinking outside of the box. Imani’s teacher announced an upcoming science fair to her class and her fellow students signed up using all the typical science fair experiments and Imani wasn’t sure what to do. Her father encouraged her to think outside of the box and she got a great idea after visiting her aunt’s natural hair products shop. She decided to create a natural hair product and compare its’ effectiveness to a commercial shampoo. Through trial and error, she created a product and used it on half of her father’s hair, washing the other half with commercial shampoo. She created a presentation for the science fair reporting what she had done and her results, How would her entry stack up against the Volcano and Potato Battery? Imani learned a lesson about trying something new and different and receiving positive results, This was a cute story that many children could relate to. It had positive affirmations about how beautiful her hair was and had endearing illustrations with eye-popping color. I would definitely read this book to middle to late elementary school children. I am voluntarily writing this honest review after reading an advanced complementary copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and Lerner Publications.

I really loved this book for 2-3 graders! This is a great story about a girl who makes a natural product for hair for her science fair project. I loved the representation and the inclusion the the scientific process while developing her product. Very unique and a fun read. This would pair well with a lesson on the scientific process and an Intro into a science projects and steps to take.

Such a great book. I really liked how Imani was an independent little girl. This was a perfect book to read to my daughter, she is interested in science and loves her hair even more now.
Thanks to Lerner Publishing Group, Lerner Publications and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this title.

Representation in books matters, and Imani and the Great Hair Experiment is such an important part of representation. As evidenced by this book, hair is a really important part of the culture of Black women and girls. In Imani and the Great Hair Experiment, young Amani takes and creates her own special formulation to keep hair healthy. The illustrations are beautiful and Imani's journey from worrying about the science fair to winning it is heartwarming!

This book follows Imani, a 3rd grade girl, and her journey coming up with a topic to report during her classes science fair. Imani is able to use her science knowledge and experience from caring for her hair to come up with her project after going to get new products with her parents.
I loved this books representation of girls, especially girls of color, in stem and loving their families and hair.

This is a cute story about what a girl chooses for her science project. The illustrations are beautiful. I definitely recommend this book.

Cicely Lewis and Anastasia Magloire Williams have such a knack for giving life to Imani and her life through their Hair Magic series with Read Woke™ Books. This chapter book covers something everyone faces: the dreaded third grade science fair and the dilemma of what one should do. Of course, all the other kids chose the tried and true science fair projects and Imani is left not knowing what to do.

She visits Auntie Neffie's Crown Shop and is suddenly struck with an idea for the science fair: is natural products versus store-bought shampoo do a better job at moisturizing Black hair. She tries out different formulas and finally presents her winning project, all because she tried something new and out-of-the-box.

This chapter book does a great job explaining the scientific method, how you can draw inspiration from everyday life, and how to overcome obstacles by thinking innovatively. The other brilliant thing to highlight are the textual and image references to Black hair and Black hair products. This is backed up by the page on the CROWN Act at the end of the book. It is a great book to teach about a variety of SEL topics and would make a great read for any class!

Black girl joy meets science! I love seeing the rise of black girls representation in all fields and it's so important for our students to see diverse voices from an early age. It's a cute, short book and would be great for fans of the Camila the Star and Yasmin book series.

Really enjoyed this book, because of the positive focus on different types of hair, self-esteem and science. Beautiful illustrations as well. Would definitely recommend.

I read this book with my 9 year old daughter. We both enjoyed the story. It was cute & informative. My daughter really enjoyed the Science fair experiment and the lesson behind thinking outside the box & being different.

The added Crown Act at the end of the book was a nice touch and informative.

Easy to read for kids under 10 & I would recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for ARC. This is my own opinion

This is a simple reader divided into chapters, but the language is simple enough for a new independent reader. I really loved how this little girl took the science fair seriously and asked her own questions, which is what science is really all about. Imani is a smart, independent little girl, and this is a great book for kids who may already be interested in science.
I also loved the pictures and the many pictures of Imani's natural hair.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

Cute but a bit lengthy. I think anytime a little black girl is encouraged to love her hair is beautiful.

I received an electronic ARC from Lerner Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Imani's family has a special power with their hair. They can change it by simply saying three magic words. This empowerment to care for their hair spills over into helping others nourish their hair too. When the Science Fair is announced, Imani struggles to find a topic. After watching her Aunt create hair products, she figures out her Fair project. Her comparison of store bought to naturally created products offers readers a look at caring for a variety of hair types. I appreciate the informative text at the end that asks about times things may not have gone well and something failed along with information about the Crown Act.