Ada & Zangemann A Tale of Software, Skateboards, and Raspberry Ice Cream

A modern fairy tale that conveys the joy of tinkering and calls for self-determined use of software.

The famous inventor Zangemann lives in a huge villa high above the city. Adults and children alike love his inventions and are desperate to have them. But then something happens: when Zangemann wants to take another close-up look at his inventions during a walk through the city, a child hits him in the shin with the skateboard. That hurts! Enraged, the inventor makes a momentous decision . . . The clever girl Ada sees through what is going on. Together with her friends, she forges a plan.

This illustrated children's book tells the story of the famous inventor Zangemann and the girl Ada, a curious tinkerer. Ada begins to experiment with hardware and software, and in the process realizes how crucial it is for her and others to control technology.

Ada & Zangemann will inspire children's interest in tinkering and encourage shaping technology.

Matthias Kirschner is President of FSFE. Matthias helps other organizations, companies, and public administrations to understand how they can benefit from Free Software — which gives everybody the rights to use, study, share, and improve software — and how those rights help to support freedom of speech, press, and privacy. He serves on the advisory boards of different Free Software organizations, has been a consultant for public bodies and other committees, and regularly gives interviews, lectures, or participates in panel discussions about software freedom and the technical distribution of power in a democratic society.

Sandra Brandstätter is an illustrator, comic author, and character designer for animated films and series, including "Trudes Tier" on German public television and "Sendung mit der Maus." She is also the illustrator of many children's books and comics including Paula: Liebesbrief des Schreckens (Reprodukt Verlag/2016), Ben & Teo: Zwei sind einer zuviel (Beltz & Gelberg/ Author: Martin Baltscheit/2020), and L wie Liebe (Kindermannverlag Author Martin Baltscheit/2022).