Ada Lace, on the Case (Ada Lace Adventure #1)

by Emily Calandrelli, Tamson Weston (Editor), Renée Kurilla (Illustrator)

Overview

From Emily Calandrelli—host of Xploration Outer Space, correspondent on Bill Nye Saves the World, and graduate of MIT—comes the first novel in a brand—new chapter book series about an eight—year—old girl with a knack for science, math, and solving mysteries with technology.

Ada Lace—third—grade scientist and inventor extraordinaire—has discovered something awful: her neighbor’s beloved Yorkie has been dognapped!

With the assistance of a quirky neighbor named Nina (who is convinced an alien took the doggie) and her ever—growing collection of gadgets, Ada sets out to find the wrongdoer. As their investigation becomes more and more mysterious, Ada and Nina grow closer, proving that opposites do, in fact, attract.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481485999
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	08/29/2017
Series:	Ada Lace Adventures , #1
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

Emily Calandrelli is an MIT engineer turned Emmy—nominated science TV host. She’s the host and coexecutive producer of Emily’s Wonder Lab on Netflix, featured as a correspondent on Netflix’s Bill Nye Saves the World, and an executive producer and host of Fox’s Xploration Outer Space. Emily is the author of the picture book Reach for the Stars, the science experiment book Stay Curious and Keep Exploring, and the science chapter book series the Ada Lace Adventures. The third book in the series was launched to the International Space Station through the Story Time from Space program. Learn more at TheSpaceGal.com.

Tamson Weston is the author of Hey, Pancakes!, illustrated by Stephen Gammell, and has over fifteen years experience in children’s book publishing. She works as a freelance editor and has edited books by acclaimed authors such as Adam Rex, Mac Barnett, and Dan Santat, among others. She has an MFA in writing and literature and enjoys running, biking, swimming, and lifting heavy things. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her at TamsonWeston.com.

Renee Kurilla is a children’s book author and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator. She loves drawing nature, animals, and working on projects that require a little bit of research! Some of her author—illustrator titles include the It’s Fall!, It’s Winter!, and The Flower Garden (a 2026 Illinois Monarch Award nominee). She has illustrated many books for other authors as well including Just Because by Matthew McConaughey, Today at School by Jessica Young, Farm Boots by Lisl H. Detlefsen, and the Ada Lace Adventure series by Emily Calandrelli.

Renee has a BFA in illustration and a minor in graphic design from Lesley University College of Art & Design. Before transitioning to a full—time career in children’s books, she was a lead artist at FableVision Studios in Boston for ten years. She currently lives in Massachusetts with her illustrator husband, their nine—year—old daughter, a corgi puppy named Yoshi, and a million stuffed animals.

Read an Excerpt

Ada Lace, on the Case

GOOD—BYE WITH A SIDE OF BACON

Ada was sick of sitting. She was sick of the cast on her leg. She was sick of watching the world go by without her. She should be outside, exploring the neighborhood and researching the local wildlife, but she was stuck inside. And it was her own fault.



Their first week in San Francisco, Ada had attempted a bungee jump from a eucalyptus tree in the park. It was a jump she could have made with no bungee. The bungee was capable of stretching 50 percent of its length with her attached to it, but the branch was barely high enough to make the line taut. It was a careless mistake.

While Ada was brooding, her mom came in.

“Do you think you might come have breakfast with me before I go?” her mother asked.

“I guess so. I was hoping we could skip the good—bye part,” said Ada.

“I’ll only be gone for a few days,” said Ada’s mom. “These artists need a little bit of handholding. They aren’t as tough as you are. I’ll be back in time for your first day at school.”

Ada attempted a smile and, on her crutches, followed her mom down the stairs only to be nearly flattened by her brother, Elliott, outside the kitchen. He was wearing an eyepatch and a vest. A stuffed parrot hung lamely from his shoulder. Ada had been reading Treasure Island with Elliott. Now Elliott was determined to find buried treasure. Until then he was dressing the part.

“Easy there, mate,” said Ada’s mom. “You almost capsized your sister.”

“Yarr!” said Elliott. “That’s ‘Captain’ to you. Get that straight, lady, or you’ll walk the plank!”

“Tone it down, Elliott, or you’ll spend the weekend in your room,” said Ms. Lace.

“Sorry, me lady,” said Elliott.

“Do I have to make you swab the poop deck, Elliott?” asked Mr. Lace. He placed a plate of French toast in front of Ada. It had crossed eyes.

“Thanks, Pop,” said Ada. It was hard to stay grumpy around her dad.

“This blasted parrot won’t sit!” said Elliott.

“You need to secure his tail feathers.” Ada wrapped the string around the parrot’s tail and feet then tied it. “That requires a square knot. What you had was a granny.”

“Arrgh! There ye be, Ruffles. Good bird,” said Elliott.



“Ada, do you remember that lady we met at the farmer’s market? Glenda?” asked Ada’s mom. “Her daughter’s about your age. They live over on Polymer Street. You should get together with her.”

“And do what, jump rope?” said Ada, looking down at her cast.

“Very funny,” said Ada’s mom. “How about you have her over?”

Ada shrugged. She wasn’t in the mood to entertain.

“It would give you a head start on being the new kid,” said Ada’s mom. She stood, stuffing one last piece of bacon in her mouth. “Just think about it. I’ll leave the phone number.”

“Kay,” said Ada. Her mom gave her a kiss on the cheek. Ms. Lace hugged her husband and her son and collected her bags.

“Bon voyage!” yelled Elliott. “Bring me back some gold!”

Ada’s mom squatted beside Ada’s chair. “Cheer up, sweet pea. You’ll be the queen of Juniper Garden before you know it.”

Editorial Reviews

2017-05-24
Using science and technology, third-grader Ada Lace kicks off her new series by solving a mystery even with her leg in a cast. Temporarily housebound after a badly executed bungee jump, Ada uses binoculars to document the ecosystem of her new neighborhood in San Francisco. She records her observations in a field journal, a project that intrigues new friend Nina, who lives nearby. When they see that Ms. Reed's dog, Marguerite, is missing, they leap to the conclusion that it has been stolen. Nina does the legwork and Ada provides the technology for their search for the dognapper. Story-crafting takes a back seat to scene-setting in this series kickoff that introduces the major players. As part of the series formula, science topics and gadgetry are integrated into the stories and further explained in a "Behind the Science" afterword. This installment incorporates drones, a wireless camera, gecko gloves, and the Turing test as well as the concept of an ecosystem. There are no ethnic indicators in the text, but the illustrations reveal that Ada, her family, and bratty neighbor Milton are white; Nina appears to be Southeast Asian; and Mr. Peebles, an inventor who lives nearby, is black. The story feels a bit contrived, but Ada will be a welcome addition to the small circle of science-loving girls in the chapter-book world. (Fiction. 7-9)

Kirkus Reviews