Etty Darwin and the Four Pebble Problem - by Lauren Soloy (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A ... rumination on belief and imagination featuring Henrietta (Etty) Darwin and her famous father, Charles. Etty went on to become a valued and keen editor of Charles's work and a thoughtful and intellectual being in her own right. This imagined conversation between Etty and Charles as they stroll around Charles's real-life 'thinking track' explores their close relationship and shows that even science is nothing without an open mind and imagination"--

Book Synopsis

Etty Darwin and her famous father go for a walk to ponder life, science . . . and fairies! Inspired by the real-life daughter of Charles Darwin.

Etty loves make-believe.
Her dad loves science.
Etty believes in fairies.
Her dad would need to see some proof that they exist.
But they both love nature, conversation and each other.

A gorgeous rumination on belief and imagination featuring Henrietta (Etty) Darwin and her famous father, Charles. Etty went on to become a valued and keen editor of Charles's work and a thoughtful and intellectual being in her own right. This imagined conversation between Etty and Charles as they stroll around Charles's real-life "thinking track" explores their close relationship and shows that even science is nothing without an open mind and imagination.

Review Quotes

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
One of Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids and Teens, Fall 2021 -- Starred Pick

"An excellent introduction to the natural sciences, Darwin, fairies, and inquiry, sure to inspire and fascinate young readers and listeners." --STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"Soloy's historical-fiction picture book makes room for both science and make-believe. But at its core, it's all about a special relationship, wonderfully humanizing the father of evolutionary theory who prized his daughter's thoughts and gave her musings 'space to fly.'" --The Horn Book

"A sweet story of father and child discovery." --School Library Journal

"Etty Darwin and the Four Pebble Problem is a lovely book . . . [with] important lessons for any young STEM reader about science, knowledge, and any intellectual pursuit." --CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Lauren Soloy shows us such tenderness in this authentic relationship between father and daughter." --Library Matters

"The bond between a caring and empathetic father and an imaginative little girl is at the center of this deeply reassuring story." --Imaginary Elevators

About the Author

LAUREN SOLOY has lived on both coasts of Canada, always within reach of the sea. She has a Visual Arts B.F.A. with Honours from the University of Victoria, and a certificate of Fine Furniture from Camosun College. Along the way, she has learned to make a Queen Anne Highboy, a pottery mug, a hand knit pair of socks, a headstand and a mess. She lives in a 140-year-old house in the wilds of Nova Scotia with her librarian husband, two curious children, an ever-expanding collection of books, two hives of bees and one cat. Her first book, When Emily Was Small, was called "an altogether mystical yet accessibly grounded story" in a Kirkus starred review.