“No, no. It’s Mary Somerville. She’s the smartest person in England. She’s the smartest person in the whole world.” Ada’s words were racing. “Honestly, she’s so clever they had to invent a new word for it.”
“What word?” asked Mary.
“Scientist!” Ada babbled excitedly. “They used to say ‘men of science’ until she came along. And I have her book—well, I have several of her books. The ones she’s written. But I mean Mr. Babbage’s book, well, he didn’t write it, Trithemius wrote it three hundred and twenty-seven years ago. But Mary Somerville wrote in it! And I read her notes! And there are things I don’t understand! It’s probably the best thing that’s ever happened.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jordan Stratford has been pronounced clinically dead, was briefly (but mistakenly) wanted by Interpol for espionage, and has won numerous sword fights. He now lives on a tiny, windswept island in British Columbia, Canada, with his wife and children.
Jordan’s passions for history, science, math, and literature come together in this series. He is particularly eager to shine a light on some of the pioneering and underappreciated women in those fields, and to inspire girls to dream big, change the world, and laugh really hard. You can read more about the world of Wollstonecraft at WollstonecraftAgency.com.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Kelly Murphy is an accomplished picture-book and chapter-book author and artist. She is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, where she now serves on the faculty. Her many acclaimed books include the Beastologist series by R. L. LaFevers and The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail by Richard Peck. Kelly lives with her husband in New England. You can read more about her work at kelmurphy.com.
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