Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
| Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts | |
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| Category: Emerging Readers | |
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Reviewer: Zoe Morris
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| Summary: A winning book both on message and presentation, this makes science fun, easy and the obvious choice, really | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: September 2016 |
| Publisher: Abrams Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1419721373 | |
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The first thing you must know about Ada Marie is the way she said nothing until the day she was three. Now that's a way to pique your interest from the start. After all what sort of child does not speak until she turns three? In this case it's a very smart little girl. Ada Marie, you see, is something of a genius child. A scientist from the start, she is all about the why, who, when, where and how? Her parents seem like nice people, but they're a little overwhelmed by it all, as is her school teacher. Can we have a happy ending for Miss Ada Marie, or will her creativity be stifled in a frightful way?
There is a quite advanced vocabulary in this tale but if you read it together it will not be off putting. I do like the way they feature science in this book, but it's not dumbed down, for example the way hypothesis testing is introduced along with the need to consider and then re-consider if things don't make sense.
The illustrations in this book are outstanding and even without reading the words you can follow the gist. Assuming you are taking in the text too, then these pictures really bring the story to life and help you imagine Ada Marie's world. There are so many great elements in this story and Ada Marie is a superb role model. She's a smart little cookie, entertaining and feisty, and in a way the fact that she is a girl and black are just secondary to this, though I know for some families these might be a great selling point too.
I really like books with a rhythm, and I wish adult books did that too. For the most part, the rhyming here was perfect and fitted with my pronunciation. I think the only exception to this was trying to rhyme full with school which didn't quite work for me on the first read through.
It is a wonderful positive uplifting and entertaining story and it is highly recommended. They may not want to be scientists when they grow up, or they may like the idea today but by tomorrow have decided they'd rather be a jockey or a lawyer or a dog walker or a poet. Whatever the outcome, this book will start those questions about what to be when you're older, and it never hurts to dream.
I would like to thank the publishers for sending us a copy to review. From the same fabulous double act, Rosie Revere, Engineer is another inspiring read.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts at Amazon.com.
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