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Quick answer: If you loved Ada Twist, read Joanna Cole's The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System, then Jess Brallier's Who Was Albert Einstein?, then Helaine Becker's Counting on Katherine, and Sophie Blackall's Hello Lighthouse and Andrew Clements's Frindle. All are curious, STEM-minded picture books.
Andrea Beaty's Ada Twist, Scientist is a picture book about a curious girl. These picks encourage questions.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System | Joanna Cole | 5-9 | science fans |
| Who Was Albert Einstein? | Jess Brallier | 7-10 | curious readers |
| Counting on Katherine | Helaine Becker | 6-9 | picture book readers |
| Hello Lighthouse | Sophie Blackall | 4–8 | seaside stories |
| Frindle | Andrew Clements | 8-12 | readers who like school pranks |
| The Wild Robot | Peter Brown | 7-11 | readers who like nature |
| The Notebook of Doom: Rise of the Balloon Goons | Troy Cummings | 6-9 | monster fans |
| The Day the Crayons Quit | Drew Daywalt | 4-8 | readers who like humor |
| Zoey and Sassafras: Dragons and Marshmallows | Asia Citro | 5-8 | science fans |
| Press Start! | Thomas Flintham | 6-9 | video game comics |
| Diary of a Worm | Doreen Cronin | 3–7 | diary-style humor |
| Frogs | Nic Bishop | Ages 6-10 | close-up photography |
| Chicka Chicka Boom Boom | Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault | 2-6 | toddlers and preschoolers |
| Dragons in a Bag | Zetta Elliott | 7-10 | younger readers who like magic in a modern setting |
| The Name of This Book Is Secret | Pseudonymous Bosch | 9–13 | jokey narrators |
1. The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System by Joanna Cole
Ms. Frizzle takes her class on a space trip. Fun and full of facts.
Best for: science fans.
2. Who Was Albert Einstein? by Jess Brallier
A short, illustrated biography. The series covers many historical figures.
Best for: curious readers.
3. Counting on Katherine by Helaine Becker
A picture book about Katherine Johnson, who calculated flights for NASA. A great way to introduce her to younger kids.
Best for: picture book readers.
4. Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
A lighthouse keeper tends the light and has a family. A gentle, award-winning book.
Best for: seaside stories.
5. Frindle by Andrew Clements
Nick Allen invents a new word for a pen, and the whole town joins in. Clever and sweet.
Best for: readers who like school pranks.
6. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
A robot washes up on an island and learns to live with animals. Short, illustrated and touching.
Best for: readers who like nature.
7. The Notebook of Doom: Rise of the Balloon Goons by Troy Cummings
Alexander finds a notebook about monsters and sets out to stop them. Funny and spooky.
Best for: monster fans.
8. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Crayons write letters to complain about how they are used. Funny and colorful.
Best for: readers who like humor.
9. Zoey and Sassafras: Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro
Zoey uses science to help magical creatures. Mixes fantasy and experiments.
Best for: science fans.
10. Press Start! by Thomas Flintham
Super Rabbit Boy fights Evil Lord Vicious in a video game world. Perfect for gamers.
Best for: video game comics.
11. Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
A worm describes his day in short diary entries. Funny and clever.
Best for: diary-style humor.
12. Frogs by Nic Bishop
Stunning photographs of frogs with simple text. Beautiful.
Best for: close-up photography.
13. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Letters climb a coconut tree in a rhythm that kids love. A classic of early learning.
Best for: toddlers and preschoolers.
14. Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott
Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a neighbor in Brooklyn and learns her bag holds baby dragons that need a new home. A short, warm story about responsibility.
Best for: younger readers who like magic in a modern setting.
15. The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
Two kids chase a mysterious sound-based secret. The narrator keeps telling readers not to read it.
Best for: jokey narrators.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Ada Twist: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Ada Twist. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For science, read The Magic School Bus. For biographies, try Who Was Albert Einstein? For curious kids, pick Frindle.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Ada Twist?
Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts.
What age is it for?
About 4 to 8.
What is the theme?
Curiosity and science.
Which book here is best for jokey narrators?
Try The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch, which suits readers looking for jokey narrators.
Which book here is best for younger readers who like magic in a modern setting?
Try Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott, which suits readers looking for younger readers who like magic in a modern setting.
Which book here is best for toddlers and preschoolers?
Try Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, which suits readers looking for toddlers and preschoolers.