My daughter just finished “Ada Lace Sees Red” for her second-grade reading assignment, and she really enjoyed it. It’s about a girl named Ada who loves science and building things, but she's not so great at art. She has to figure out how to combine her science skills with art to win a robot competition. The book follows her as she learns about color and uses that knowledge to fix a problem with her robot. It definitely grabbed her attention because she kept wanting to read "just one more chapter" before bed, which is always a good sign.
She found the story easy to follow and liked Ada's personality. The book includes black and white illustrations, which helped her visualize the different robots and Ada's inventions. She didn’t get hung up on any of the science concepts, and she actually told me some of the facts about light and color that Ada learned. It kept her entertained for a few nights, which I appreciate. It wasn’t too long that she got bored, but it also wasn’t so short that it was over in a flash.
It's an AR level 4.1 book, and worth 2.0 AR points, which was a good fit for her reading level this year. She's in second grade, so it was challenging enough without being frustrating. The word count is around 12,004, which is substantial for a chapter book aimed at younger kids but the illustrations break it up well.
This series seems perfect for a kid who is into STEM topics, especially if they also struggle with art or creative subjects. If your child likes stories about problem-solving and girls who are interested in science, this would be a great pick. Just be prepared for some questions about robots and red light! It's a fun way to sneak in some educational content without feeling like a textbook.