Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) was the daughter of Lord Byron, a poet, and Anna Isabella Milbanke, a mathematician. Her parents separated when she was young, and her mother insisted on a logic-focused education, rejecting Byron's mad love of poetry. But Ada remained fascinated with her father and considered mathematics poetical science. Via her friendship with inventor Charles Babbage, she became involved in programming his Analytical Engine, a precursor to the computer, thus becoming the world's first computer programmer. This picture book biography of Ada Lovelace is a compelling portrait of a woman who saw the potential for numbers to make art.
"The text's lilting quality will stick with aural learners long after the book is over...Robinson celebrates Lovelace for her powerful analytical mind in spite of an overbearing mother, an absent father, and a restrictive social position...VERDICT A fascinating and uplifting STEAM selection, highly recommended for biography collections."
School Library Journal
"Clearly conveys Lovelace's constricted upbringing, her intellectual brilliance, and her pleasure in applying her mind to a complex challenge."
