The Questioneers #2: Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants; Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts

From the duo that produced the fabulous picture books starring Ada Twist, Iggy Peck and Rosie Revere comes a new chapter book series starring the three STEM loving kids titled ‘The Questioneers’.

Ada Twist loves asking questions. Answers lead to more questions and her brain is always a whirr. Hypothesising, researching, investigating and proving things comes naturally to Ada. Her latest investigation into her brother’s stinky trainers is abruptly interrupted by a panicking Rosie whose Uncle Ned is having a problem with his helium pants and is danger of floating away. With a mindful of ideas, can Ada and her friends come up with a plan to get him down…

Andrea Beatty and David Roberts do what they do best, telling a funny science-themed adventure story that includes lots of fascinating facts and will get young readers enthusiastic about science. Beatty introduces scientific terms and concepts with ease and Ada’s passion for science fizzes from the pages - so much so there are times when she cannot get her words out quick enough. Ada, Rosie and Iggy are a delightful trio brimming with curiosity and a love for finding things out. Their enquiring minds are keen to apply what they have learnt in school to solve real world problems - luckily for Uncle Ned and his out of control pants.

The playful illustrations show characters of different ethnicities - Ada is black with afro hair and her friends are white. I particularly like the scribbles in Ada’s notebook that show her scientific mind at work. Back matter includes information on bird studies, palm oil, gases and a section entitled Citizen Science that may encourage readers to get involved in scientific studies.

Recommended for 7+.