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ADA LOVELACE AND THE NUMBER-CRUNCHING MACHINE

Inspiring, feminist, and informative in equal parts. (Picture book/biography. 5-10)

“Ada loved numbers and solving problems.”

In this brief but informative early biography, originally published in German in Switzerland, young listeners and readers are introduced to the amazing Ada Byron Lovelace, the world’s first computer programmer. “Now, Ada might look like an ordinary little girl,” the tale begins, “but the truth is Ada changed the world.” Paired with colorful, geometrically stylized illustrations, the clear, straightforward text succinctly describes Ada’s unusual childhood as the daughter of Lord Byron. Ada had a privileged upbringing, in part because her mother rejected the commonly accepted idea that girls were fit primarily for wifely duties and arranged for experts to serve as Ada’s tutors. This group included Charles Babbage, an inventor and mathematician who created a machine to count numbers. Excited by the idea, Ada immediately set to work, essentially creating code to provide instructions for this fledgling computer to solve other sorts of problems. An impressively balanced mix of engaging description and important facts with a quick explanation of the gender politics of the time and information about Ada’s legacy, this appealing volume is a great way to introduce coding and computers as well as the lack of notice women’s accomplishments are too often shown.

Inspiring, feminist, and informative in equal parts. (Picture book/biography. 5-10)

Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-7358-4317-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: NorthSouth

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019

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1001 BEES

Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.

This book is buzzing with trivia.

Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.

Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)

Pub Date: May 18, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Thames & Hudson

Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021

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I AM GRAVITY

An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe.

An introduction to gravity.

The book opens with the most iconic demonstration of gravity, an apple falling. Throughout, Herz tackles both huge concepts—how gravity compresses atoms to form stars and how black holes pull all kinds of matter toward them—and more concrete ones: how gravity allows you to jump up and then come back down to the ground. Gravity narrates in spare yet lyrical verse, explaining how it creates planets and compresses atoms and comparing itself to a hug. “My embrace is tight enough that you don’t float like a balloon, but loose enough that you can run and leap and play.” Gravity personifies itself at times: “I am stubborn—the bigger things are, the harder I pull.” Beautiful illustrations depict swirling planets and black holes alongside racially diverse children playing, running, and jumping, all thanks to gravity. Thorough backmatter discusses how Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity and explains Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. While at times Herz’s explanations may be a bit too technical for some readers, burgeoning scientists will be drawn in.

An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe. (Informational picture book. 7-9)

Pub Date: April 15, 2024

ISBN: 9781668936849

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Tilbury House

Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024

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