I have eight mathematicians to introduce to you, spanning the millenia from the 6th century BC to the 21st century AD and crossing the world from Greece, Italy, and Hungary to India, Iran, and the United States.
As Kathryn Lasky writes, “All knowledge builds on existing knowledge. But it takes the curiosity and inspiration of a man like Eratosthenes to figure out how to use that knowledge to answer old questions and create new ones that will alter civilization and our view of the world for years to come.”
We’ll go chronologically, starting with the first four picture books. I hope they inspire you to stay curious!
What’s Your Angle, Pythagoras?: A Math Adventure by Julie Ellis, illustrated by Phyllis Hornung (Charlesbridge, 2004)
As the historical note states, not much is known about the childhood of Pythagoras (c. 570 – c. 495 BC), the ancient Greek mathematician, philosopher, musician, and astronomer. In this lighthearted fictional tale, young Pythagoras discovers the Pythagorean Theorem and explains how right triangles can be used to solve problems, like calculating distances and making straight columns. The illustrations are pleasant. Recommended for ages 8 to 12. (See also Pythagoras and the Ratios: A Math Adventure by Julie Ellis, illustrated by Phyllis Hornung Peacock [Charlesbridge, 2010])
The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (Little, Brown, 1994)
The first half of this engaging picture book describes the life of Eratosthenes of Cyrene (c. 276 – c. 194 BC), showcasing his curiosity about the world and how he became chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria. The rest of the book explains how he was able to calculate the circumference of the earth using mathematical texts, shadows, a well, and specially trained surveyors. His calculation was only 250 miles off from the modern-day measurement! This book does a nice job bringing the historical context to life. The illustrations are well done and just a little bit cheeky. The author’s note and afterword provide more information; bibliographies are included from both author and illustrator. Recommended for ages 8 to 12.
Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci by Joseph D’Agnese, illustrated by John O’Brien (Henry Holt, 2010)
As with the two previous mathematicians, not much is known about the life of Fibonacci – or Leonardo Bonacci (c. 1170 – c.1240-50), nicknamed Bigollo (“traveller” or “dreamer”), even though he’s now considered the greatest Western mathematician of the Middle Ages. D’Agnese has imagined a playful story that shows Fibonacci’s love for numbers and explains his famous rabbit problem that illustrates the Fibonacci Sequence. I learned that Fibonacci also introduced Arabic numerals to Europe. The writing style makes this book accessible to younger children and the illustrations complement the text. Along with the author’s note, a page of relevant activities is included at the end of the book. Recommended for ages 7 to 10.
The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity: A Tale of the Genius Ramanujan by Amy Alznauer, illustrated by Daniel Miyares (Candlewick Press, 2020)
Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920) was a number theorist from India whose notebooks are “so full of amazing ideas that people are still working to understand them today.” This book inspires wonder at the beauty and complexity of numbers, while illustrating life in India a century ago. It also introduces the idea of how knowledge is shared. Well-illustrated with a two-page author’s note that gives more information on Ramanujan’s ideas and influence, as well as India’s mathematical history. It ends with a bibliography. Recommended for ages 7 to 12.