Three and a half stars.

A reasonable first picture book, and one with a perfectly decent subject. I liked the artwork, too – the colour scheme, and the seemingly quick and easy way of having Ada Lovelace always wear a dress made of mathematical paper, like the maths books in school. It did seem to me, however, that the text was too much context – showing the differences between Ada's world and ours, and then having to splurge the actual story of her work with Babbage on to one text-heavy page. Yes, we need to see her character for the lesson it gives everyone today, about the benefit of learning and of not thinking success is out of limits, but having it given us at the rate of one sentence per spread, then ending up so wordy, felt to me that things were off-balance.

Outstanding! What an amazing introduction book for children! Perfect for all ages and great for inspiring young minds, pictures are cute as well!

Ada Lovelace and the Number-Crunching Machine is a nonfiction picture book for early elementary students. Zoe Tucker and Rachel Katstaller connect facts about Ada Lovelace's life with children's lives today. For example, when describing how Ada wasn't allowed to go to school, Tucker writes, "This might sound like a wonderful plan, but it was very, very boring" while the picture shows Ada gazing out the window. The pictures in this story are fantastic drawings.

Overall, a lovely introduction to a pioneering woman, geared toward younger children. The illustrations are fun, and express Ada's spirit well. There are biographical details sprinkled throughout the text, with more information included at the end of the book. While many details of her life weren't appropriate for children, certain things could've been mentioned and weren't, such as her childhood and later illnesses, her marriage and children, and her title. I did appreciate the emphasis on her education, which most girls didn't receive in those days. A great addition to any young child's book collection.

Cute introduction of Ada Lovelace to kids. The book felt a little bit too short, though. Nice, modern style of illustrations.

An interesting art style and a great main character make this a fun read of a picture book. I'll definitely recommend this one.

This quick picture book provided a lot of information about Ada Lovelace, her life, and her history as the first computer programmer. While the information provided is not done in any new way, and does not cover information that is not readily available from other books, including other picture books, the artwork creates a fun environment for the reader and keeps them connected. I did love the encouragement to young girls that it is okay to like math, and science, and computers, and I appreciated the mention of Ada Lovelace day in October.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

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NOTE: I received an e-arc of this from Net Galley but my opinions are my own.

What a wonderful, delightful book! A quick and beautifully illustrated book this is perfect for exposing young girls and boys to the idea that being smart is cool! Ada Lovelace was the daughter of the writer, Lord Byron and a very forward-thinking and intelligent woman, Annabella Milkbanke. Ada was raised by her mother after Byron and Milkbanke separated and he made no attempt to claim his parental rights. While this children's book does not go into the dirty details of her parentage (and it surely should not) it does show how she overcame the restrictions of her time period and pursued a life that exhibited a harmony between math, literature and art. She helped to create the "Analytical Engine" along with Charles Babbage and has went down in history for her contributions. I loved every bit of this book and think - not only - children will find it inspiring, but also adults. It's a great, digestible piece of feminist literature for this and the coming generations.

I highly recommend you pick this up and I certainly will be getting a physical copy when it comes out! Bravo Zoe Tucker and Rachel Katstaller!

An inspiring and simple story about the world's first computer programmer. Definitely a must for kindergarten classrooms.

This book offers an excellent introduction to the achievements of Ada Lovelace, daughter of a mathematician and a poet. Her early years, the education that she had (when many girls did not), her interest in Math and work with Babbage are all covered in one easy to read package. By the way, the illustrations also add to the book as they reflect Ada's personality. Get this one for a young reader you know who wants to be a big thinker with big ideas!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read about Ada who worked on what later came to be known as the computer. All opinions are my own.

This is one of the stronger kids' biographies about Ada Lovelace I've read. It gives a brief biographical sketch in the main text, including her association with Charles Babbage. The biographical notes at the end, though, I think are much more clear. The main text and pictures sort of imply that Ada and Babbage built the Analytical Engine (it was never built in its entirety). The little note at the end talks more about what Ada actually did with her code and translations, so it's a good idea to read that part of the book, too!

The illustrations are of a style that I'm not always a fan of. But here, they kind of work. Although, I was a bit confused by the crow that appears throughout; is it supposed to represent a fascination with bird flight... or did she actually have a pet crow?

Overall, this is a nice picture-book biography about a pioneering woman. Strong endnotes add more interest. I would recommend this book to kids interested in science or computers.