"There's no way another Ada exists in Andromeda," Max says gently and turns to me. "The universe can't get this lucky twice."
Ada Wood is nearly thirteen years old. She's fiercely independent and smart, but haunted by the sudden, tragic death of her mother. Ada lives alone with Dad, and it doesn't help that he barely talks to her, disappearing into his office making video games instead.
Max, Ada's best friend and partner in crime, is never afraid to push her to new heights. Motivated to finish the last project she and Mom were supposed to work on together, Ada convinces him to help her build a computer.
When her Aunt Lizzie, a tech genius, moves in with her and Dad, Ada's hopeful that the project will be a success. Lizzie's adventures in tech, math, and philosophy inspire Ada to challenge herself to build a supercomputer; one that could help make sense of her mother's death and commemorate her.
But when Ada's obsession with the computer starts to eclipse her life, her loved ones feel left behind. Will her quest put her at risk of losing the people she loves the most?
Ada and the Supercomputer aims to celebrate the brilliance and audacity of girls even while they're going through seemingly impossible-to-overcome turmoil. The book seeks to inspire and to introduce readers to the incredible world of technology, computers, and mathematics. It has a strong girls in STEM focus, and addresses issues of grief and healing. The book not only celebrates brilliant women (and men) across time and space, but also shows what it means for technology to be in service of humanity and not the other way around. Ultimately, Ada's story is a coming-of-age story about resiliency and growth, and an antidote to the "math is hard barbie doll" culture we subjugate girls to.
