Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss. ( )

Mentioned in a blog post at https://booksbeyondbinaries.blog/2020/07/20/chapter-books-whats-good/ (July 20th release)

See also: the Questioneers series by Andrea Beaty (Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters, etc.) and Zoey & Sassafras series by Asia Citro

Also from this series: Ada Lace Sees Red

B. read with L.

Back matter includes "Behind the Science" (a few paragraphs of information on topics addressed within the story, e.g. drones, gecko gloves, Turing test).

New to San Francisco, Ada is prompted by her mother to make friends with Nina, a neighborhood girl around her age. Nina is more of a 'free spirit,' while Ada is rigorously scientific. But when Nina suggests that the neighborhood is like an ecosystem, Ada is intrigued and starts studying her surroundings more thoroughly. And when a neighbor is spotted without her loyal dog by her side, Ada and Nina fear the worse. They begin investigating the case of the dognapping.

This book had a lot of pluses. Ada and Nina are both likeable characters, albeit with very different personalities. Ada shows young readers how interesting science can be, with gecko gloves, tablets, drones, etc. smattering the pages of this book. (Even her name appears to be a callback to famous scientist Ada Lovelace). Some notes at the back of the book go into a little bit more detail about the technology featured in its pages. In addition, the book is easily readable, with short chapters and illustrations throughout -- the perfect bridge for children moving away from longer early readers but not quite ready to grapple with 200 page middle-grade novels. The mystery is compelling, and the ending does manage to surprise. The drawn illustrations indicate a diverse community, which is good to see.

However -- and this is a big however for me -- the plot of the book so closely resembles the movie Rear Window, just with a more kid-friendly vibe, that it bothers me quite a bit that the authors don't acknowledge this anywhere. Ada's leg is in a cast and she stuck behind her window, looking out at the courtyard and wondering about what her neighbors are doing. Instead of a murdered wife grabbing her attention, it's a missing dog (but note there is a dog who plays a big role in Rear Window as well). Ada and Nina are unlike each other, but manage to have a good relationship despite an argument about their differences, just like Jeff and Lisa in the film. Nina even sneaks into the main suspect's apartment in a daring attempt, as does Lisa in the movie. The parallels are too strong to not be mentioned.

I'm not sure if the pros quite outweigh the con, but I'm cautiously hopeful the follow-up book in the series will be more original in its plot while featuring the same selling points of this novel. ( )

Ada Lace is bored. Her family has moved across the country, from West Virginia to San Francisco. It wouldn't be so bad if she could explore outside, but she's got a broken leg! With nothing to do, she teams up with the quirky girl down the street, Nina, to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a local dog. Ada has plenty of opportunity to watch out her window, plus her tech skills help her set up surveillance. But when things start getting confusing, she may have started something bigger than she can handle alone!

In her second adventure, Ada is now close friends with Nina, even though they're very different. She's started at her new school and is spending every spare minute on her robot, George, with the help of the friendly tinkerer across the way, Mr. Peebles. But Ada has more on her mind than getting George ready for a competition and the annoying behavior of the mean boy next door. Her dad is now the art teacher at school and Ada just can't seem to get her art assignments right. She gets more and more frustrated, especially as Nina seems to get much more praise and interest from her dad.

Ada is an enthusiastic tech and science fan, but also a realistic one. She doesn't necessarily figure things out right away, needs help from grown-ups, and can get frustrated and neglect her other work and friends. The flipped stereotypes - Nina is Asian but not into math or science, Ada's parents are both artists and don't understand her love of technology - are a nice touch. Various scientific principles are referenced in the text and expanded in the "Behind the science" sections in the back which explain drones, the Turing test, Arduino boards, and more. The plots and characters are a little uneven in places, and there's definitely some wish-fulfillment involved, but overall they're fun, interesting stories with a touch of mystery that will attract kids who are into science as well as those who aren't. Ada turning out to be color blind was a unique touch and who doesn't enjoy seeing the mean boy next door get his comeuppance?

Verdict: These are much better than I expected from a celebrity-driven book and I think I will find an easy audience for them in my library since we have clubs of robotics, coding, and more which the girls are heavily involved in. The mystery and friendship drama was a good touch that will draw in kids who aren't interested in the scientific aspects.

Ada Lace on the case
ISBN: 9781481485999

Ada Lace sees red
ISBN: 9781481486026

Published 2017 by Simon and Schuster; Borrowed from another library in my consortium