Cover Image: Ada and the Number-Crunching Machine

Ada and the Number-Crunching Machine

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Member Reviews

This book is adorable! I loved the illustrations. Ada Lovelace is an amazing example for girls to look to and this book tells them just that. The story of Ada and her invention is a story every child needs to hear and this book is a great first biography for them to read.

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I love books that make me think about their subject days or weeks after having finished them. Although a children's book, it made me want to look for more information about Ada and the number-crunching machine she helped invent. This is the kind of book I prefer to buy for my children or give as gifts to others.
We have read about Ada's story in another book, but I find this one better. I also liked the illustrations; for a small child, the captivating pictures are a must.
Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an e-book copy in exchange for my honest review!

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The book has a natural, informal tone of writing I enjoyed and touches upon feminist ideas and the importance of education.
I was a little sad the whole story was not put into illustration but it does inform the reader of who this woman was nicely. I see now the split in the story from arts to numbers is much like Ada herself and makes it more memorable. A nice touch. I give it four star

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So many years after the incredible life of Ada Lovelace it seems strange that she is remembered by some and not everyone, despite her achievements and inventive mind.
Happily this book adds and subtracts nothing from her brief life in 19th Britain by tagging on the Number Crunching Machine.
It seems strange that for so long in a mighty empire like Britain oversaw, girls and women were considered less capable to have minds filled with knowledge. Consequently their education was ignored and they were not expected to add to society in terms of discovery and invention.
The child Ada should be an inspiration to children, especially girls, who in some societies are still held back and denied a complete education.
Ada was fortunate that her parents were influential and her Mother was determined that if she could not attend school she would be taught at home.
That she has access to books and great scholars to lead and guide her enabled her to reach her potential and somewhat more. Certainly, life as we enjoy it today has been enhanced by her studies, contributions and abilities.
This book will encourage children to read, be delighted that history is their past and that the future is theirs to discover.
Don’t think I was ever taught about Ada in all my educational years.

It is good that a child’s book can teach a grown up.

Enjoy. Marvel at the unique illustrations and story telling style that makes this a memorable book. Learn about a character no-one should forget. Together we should ensure in the 21st century that education is for all, a right for all children.

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Such a cute book! Love Ada and her spirit, such a great book to show kids they can do anything! Ada perserveres throughout the story and creates a computer program. This shows girls that they too can participate in computer science fields.

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Adorable, inspiring book for kids about a true innovator! The illustrations are very cute and the text is clear for even little kids about a pretty complex topic. The translation uses slightly different words than expected at a few points, but in a clear way that might expand kids' vocabulary. Has the approval of both a 1 year old and a 5 year old, both of whom now demand "Ada book" nightly. The 5 year old agrees with Ada that not going to school would be very boring!

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Ada Lovelace. I knew the name sounded familiar and that it was associated with technology and stuff but I wasn't able to make a meaningful connection.

Once I got absorbed into the story, I was pleasantly surprised when I learnt that she was the World's first computer programmer. Her contributions to the mathematical/programming field were fundamental in the conceptualization of the computers we use today.

The Illustrations were very neat and crisp. The story was filled with so many interesting facts and as a 22-year-old, I found myself flipping the pages earnestly. Her life story was narrated in a concise way - neither too lengthy nor too short. On completion of the book, any child reading it would have a clear idea about who Ada Lovelace was and how vital her contributions turned out to be despite the fact the girls of her age weren't allowed to attend school. This clearly displays the massive potential that women possess. Her success story would serve as an inspiration for all the little girls out there and encourage them to come up with new ideas and inventions that could possibly change the world for the better.

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I want to thank #netgalley for giving me a copy of #AdaLovelaceAndTheNumberCrunchingMachineNewFromNorthSouth to review. I have read the book Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine by Laurie Wallmark on the Epic app and enjoyed it. I wanted to read this book to compare the two. Both are picture books which is great for my purposes. Laurie's book went more in depth with Ada's life and is more for an older group of readers. Zoe Tucker's book is for a younger set of readers and I love that. Both can be utilized in my classroom. I enjoyed this book because it was an introduction to Ada Lovelace and really focused on her learning and desire for words and numbers. I enjoyed the focus of this book and think it makes it more accessible to kids starting out. It is a great biography of an inspirational woman.

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A quick, simplified look at Ada Lovelace and her work with Charles Babage on the Analytical Engine. It's a great book to teach kids about a woman in science who has frequently been overlooked. It's enough to spark interest without an overwhelming amount of information. The illustrations that go along with it are very cute.

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This was a short and cute read designed for little kids, probably to be read to them by an adult who hopes they will take an interest in math, science, history, biography, computers, or all of the above.

An adult who knows the Ada Lovelace story well might notice that it rather overstates and oversimplifies the case when it says that she "changed the world" with her mathematical footnotes. It would be more accurate to say that she imagined the change that might someday be possible. Still, kudos for introducing kids to a less well-known historical figure, especially a 19th century woman with some complicated emotional baggage but a first-class brain.

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Ada Lovelace and the Number-Crunching Machine tells the story of an incredible woman. Ada Lovelace was a pioneer in the computer industry before computers even existed. This book introduces her to a generation of children who have never known life without a computer in their pocket. The illustrations are whimsical and the story of Ada's life can inspire little girls everywhere to pursue STEM careers. I highly reccomend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and NorthSouth books for an advance reader copy in exchange for an impartial review.

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My five year old daughter is a nerd for math, science, and engineering. I chose this book because she played Ada Lovelace in a preschool play and was familiar with her. She loved the story, asked good questions, and could see herself in Little Ada. I appreciate that Ada is presented as a well-rounded person with varied interests and accomplishments, AND that she was "wild and romantic, bad-tempered and moody." Our heroes don't have to be sterilized to perfection! I am a big fan of Rachel Katsaller, and the illustrations are adorable. I would love to see a series of little girls in STEM books from this duo.

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This is probably one of my favorite picture books on Ada Lovelace. It was just the perfect amount of information for picture book format without being too glossy, or too dumbed down. This title hit on facts others leave out and also points out that she didn’t do all on her own. I love this book and can not wait to add it to my library collection.
#LitsyAtoZchildrens

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I read this with my 7 year old daughter last night and we both loved it. We both agree it's a five star book. The book tells the tale of little Ada Lovelace, who grew up in a time when girls didn't go to school but was lucky enough to have parents who brought in tutors and gave her lots of books to read (Ada and her mom both read every book in the library, it notes), and who eventually helped create the first prototype of a computer a hundred years before we had computers.

The book reminded me a lot of The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos. Both books start their biographies with the subjects' childhoods and both books tell of the characters' quirks and oddities, making personality traits that could be seen as embarrassments or bad things into just likeable parts of who they were (Paul didn't even cut his own meat until adulthood and throughout his life pretty much just relied on those around him to do the adulting). Ada could be cranky like her father (poet Lord Byron). Nobody is presented as perfect little cookie cutters.

The illustrations here are fun, looking like bits of graph paper and such helped create them. The story was just the right length, giving information to really get to know the character but not so much that younger children would get bored and glassy eyed.

There's a high chance that I'll buy this one for our own library. Delightful in every way.

My rating system:
1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost

I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.

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This is a wonderful book outlining the life of Ada Lovelace in a format that will resonate with children. The illustrations are whimsical, and childlike. As a mother of two young girls, I am so pleased to see literature that celebrates the lives of women pioneers in computers, engineering, and technology.

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This was a quick, enjoyable, kid-appropriate biography of Ada Lovelace, with a hilariously dry aside regarding the difficulty of dealing with her father Lord Byron and factual commentary explaining the privilege Ada Lovelace had compared to most girls in her time and of course the misconceptions regarding women's unsuitability for involvement in the sciences. It's a good read, simple without being simplistic, and I think appropriate for kids without being dumbed-down. I also enjoyed the artwork, and that is something I'm generally fairly picky about.

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Loved the illustrations and enjoyed learning more about Ada Lovelace--definitely a lady more people need to know about.

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Very well written. Children will enjoy it. We always need fresh books for libraries. I enjoyed, and I am an adult. I think that the writing will reach and engage young readers.

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IGNITE YOUR CHILD’S IMAGINATION AS YOU LEARN ABOUT MATH!
3 Amazing Picture Books That Delight and Educate
Now, this is an amazing picture book! It really caught me by surprise with all the detail and information packed between the covers that is sure to attract your elementary aged children. Yet it is a delightful picture book to read aloud to young children.

Ever heard of ADA? Well I did a lot in college, but never once did anyone tell me that it is actually named after Ms. Lovelace! She was a brainy female pioneer who made the computer possible.

Interested in how this homeschooled girl do it? Well, to find out you really have to buy the book. You will be really glad you did!

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Ada and the Number-Crunching Machine by Zoë Tucker and Rachel Katstaller is a wonderful new introduction to the life of Ada Lovelace.

Once a little-known figure, Ada Lovelace has become well-known, admired, and beloved for her work, especially her work as the world's first computer programmer. This book uses child-friendly language to introduce readers of all ages to Ada's life and a few of her many accomplishments.

The illustrations are adorable, and I think they help bring Ada to life, whether it is when we're looking at how similar she is to her parents, to the mechanical genius of her work, to the much-deserved admiration she receives now. I especially liked how the additional facts of her life were laid out on graph paper, which I thought was a nice visual touch.

I would definitely recommend this for those looking for a child-friendly introduction to Ada Lovelace's life and works. It makes for a great place to start.

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