The creators of the New York Times bestselling picture books Rosie Revere, Engineer and Iggy Peck, Architect are back with a story about the power of curiosity in the hands of a child who is on a mission to use science to understand her world. Ada Twist, Scientist, from powerhouse team Andrea Beaty and David Roberts, is a celebration of STEM, perseverance, and passion.
Like her classmates, builder Iggy and inventor Rosie, scientist Ada, a character of color, has a boundless imagination and has always been hopelessly curious. Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose? Why are there hairs growing inside your nose? When her house fills with a horrific, toe-curling smell, Ada knows it’s up to her to find the source. Not afraid of failure, she embarks on a fact-finding mission and conducts scientific experiments, all in the name of discovery. But, this time, her experiments lead to even more stink and get her into trouble!
Inspired by real-life makers such as Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, Ada Twist, Scientist champions girl power and women scientists, and brings welcome diversity to picture books about girls in science. Touching on themes of never giving up and problem solving, Ada comes to learn that her questions might not always lead to answers, but rather to more questions. She may never find the source of the stink, but with a supportive family and the space to figure it out, she’ll be able to feed her curiosity in the ways a young scientist should.
Iggy Peck and Rosie Revere have earned their places among the most beloved children’s characters, and they have inspired countless kids and adults to follow their dreams and passions. Now in her own charming and witty picture book, determined Ada Twist, with her boundless curiosity for science and love of the question “Why?,” is destined to join these two favorites. The book is the perfect tool to remind both young girls and women that they have the intelligence and perseverance to achieve their dreams.
About the Author
Andrea Beaty and David Roberts are the creators of Iggy Peck, Architect; Rosie Revere, Engineer; and Happy Birthday, Madame Chapeau, among other award-winning children’s books. Out-of-this-world Rosie Revere, Engineer is currently orbiting Earth aboard the International Space Station as part of the Story Time From Space program. Beaty lives just outside of Chicago. Roberts lives in London.
Industry Reviews
"Ada Twist is my hero. She's a smart, curious young girl who doesn't talk unless she's got something clever to say, and she thinks like a scientist - always wanting to find out the truth for herself rather than accept someone else's say so. Plus, she wreaks havoc with her hair-brained experiments. I cannot stress strongly enough that this is not a book only for girls. A New York Times bestseller, from a series by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts that also includes Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer, it is a great book for all pre-schoolers that happens to promote the revolutionary notion that women can do science." Independent.co.uk
"A smart, funny, and gorgeously designed picture book that offers a brilliant role-model for kids in Ada." Buzzfeed
'Ada Marie Twist is a true little rebel and, like the pioneering scientists she is named after (Marie Curie and Ada Lovelace), a fantastic feminist role model.' Books for Keeps
'Written in playful rhyming verse, it's joyfully illustrated by the genius of David Roberts.' Huffington Post
'David Roberts provides plenty of visual humour as a backdrop to this kick-ass story of a young girl with a determined spirit and a thirst for knowledge. There aren't many storybooks around for little future scientists, but this is the book that I wanted to show my nieces so that they could learn that, whatever their ambitions, curiosity can lead them forward.' Lounge Books
'Ada Twist, Scientist is the worthy winner of the KSl category in this year's Teach Primary New Children's Fiction Awards, featuring Andrea Beatty's fizzy and joyful rhyming narrative, and an opportunity for keen-eyed youngsters to spot evidence cleverly placed in David Roberts' illustrations that even Ada herself has yet to discover.' --Teach Primary magazine
"The endlessly inquisitive heroine of this brilliant picture book seeks to discover the answers to these questions and more! The rollicking rhyming text is as energetic as Ada herself, and the illustrations are packed with ingeniously entertaining detail courtesy of none other than long-time friend of Scoop, David Roberts." Scoop
'Ada Twist, Scientist is the tale of a persistently curious young girl in this brilliant picture book, written by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts [...] This is definitely one of my favourite children's books of 2016. I think you'll be hard pressed to find a more satisfying example of a picture book to enjoy' --Sam Hearn, author
'This is a beautifully illustrated rhyming story about a family learning to support a child's curiosity. Ada is a likeable character who has all the traits of a great scientist. The book responds well to the call for greater representation of girls and diversity in STEM subjects and industries (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Indeed Andrea Beaty says she took her inspiration from Ada Lovelace, the mathematician and very first computer programmer, and Marie Curie, who discovered the elements polonium and radium, whose work led to the invention of X-rays. The book is fun to read and should inspire children to follow their passions.' The English Association
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'Ada Twist is a stereotype-smashing tale which celebrates the power of curiosity and scientific enquiry.' --The Little Rebels Children's Book Award
