Ada and the Thinking Machine: The True Story of Ada Lovelace
About
Meet Ada—the curious girl who imagined the world’s first computer program.
Ada and the Thinking Machine brings Ada Lovelace’s true story to life for children ages 8–12 with short, lively chapters, bright illustrations, and hands-on experiments that make history feel like a discovery.
Why kids love it
- Fast-paced, third-person storytelling written for 6–10 year-olds with clear scene openings and simple dialogue.
- Short chapters (600–900 words) that end on a gentle cliffhanger to keep readers turning pages.
- Fun sidebars labeled Ada Explains and Did You Know? with simple, accurate facts and dates.
What makes this the best STEM biography for kids ages 8-12
- Two "Try This" activities in nearly every chapter: paper algorithms, bead patterns, and simple music algorithms that teach thinking like a programmer.
- One new technical word per chapter with a child-friendly definition and examples to build confidence with STEM vocabulary.
- Classroom-ready extras: timeline, glossary, index, teacher resources, and five reproducible classroom activities.
Learning benefits (for kids, teachers, and parents)
- Builds early algorithm thinking through hands-on tasks and reproducible lessons.
- Encourages curiosity, experimentation, and inclusive representation of women in STEM.
- Designed for independent readers, school groups, and family reading time.
Included features
- Clear illustrations explaining machines, diagrams, and activity steps
- Vocabulary scaffolding and short, varied sentences to support reading growth
- A helpful teacher guide and five ready-to-use lessons for classroom use
Perfect for:
- Parents searching for an engaging children’s biography Ada Lovelace will love
- Teachers assembling units on history of computing or women in STEM
- Young readers who enjoy books about algorithms for kids and hands-on projects
"Ada and the Thinking Machine" is more than a story—it's a toolkit that turns reading into doing. Whether you want an Ada Lovelace chapter book for middle grade readers or a classroom activity pack that pairs biography with practice, this book gives kids the tools to explore patterns, code simple algorithms, and see themselves as future inventors.
Ready to spark a child's curiosity? Click to buy Ada and the Thinking Machine book and add an inspiring STEM biography to your shelf today. Ideal for home libraries, school reading lists, and gift-giving for young scientists.
Try this next: Use the bead-pattern activity in Chapter 3 to create your own music algorithm—then share it in class or at home and compare patterns!
Purchase Book From:
Amazon