Following up on last month’s post, here are four more picture books about brilliant mathematicians, this time one man and three women who lived in the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdős by Deborah Heligman, illustrated by LeUyen Pham (Roaring Book Press, 2013)
I’d never heard of Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős (1913-1996) before reading this book, but now I know that he was a genius with an eccentric lifestyle. Deborah Heligman shows how he loved numbers and hated rules. When he was young his mother did everything for him and when he left home, he lived an itinerant life, depending on friends around the world to take care of him. In return he shared his mathematical understanding and introduced mathematicians to one another. This is a playful book with a large scope for further exploration. In the author’s note, Heligman shares more information, such as the death of Erdős’s sisters and what happened to his family during the World Wars. The book also includes a three-page note from the illustrator wherein she explains the mathematical concepts (e.g. different types of prime numbers) and names the people and places included in her impressive illustrations. Recommended for ages 8 to 12.
Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Dow Phumiruk (Henry Holt, 2018)
This is an inspiring picture book that begins with the childhood of Katherine Johnson (1918-2020). In straightforward style with a bit of fitting repetition, Helaine Becker describes Johnson’s genius for math and the difficulties she overcame to end up working for NASA. For instance, when she was ten she was ready for high school, but her father had to save enough money to move the family to another town where there was a high school for Black students. The climax of the story comes when Johnson’s calculations are used to safely return the crippled Apollo 13 to earth. The illustrations are as appealing as the story. The book ends with a ten-paragraph biography for a slightly older audience and a list of sources. Recommended for ages 6 to 10.
The Girl with the Mind for Math: The Story of Ray Montague by Julia Finley Mosca, illustrated by Daniel Rieley (The Innovation Press, 2018)
Similar to Counting on Katherine, this picture book biography tells the story of a brilliant woman overcoming sexism and racism through hard work and perseverance. Raye Montague (1935-2018) dreamed of becoming an engineer and when the way was barred she kept working and learning on her own until she reached her goal. In 1971 she completed the world’s first ship design by computer in just 18 hours and 26 minutes! Eventually she received many honours for her accomplishments. Although I did not love the illustration style and rhyming text, the story is inspirational. This book ends with an author interview, illustrated timeline, two-page biography, and bibliography. Recommended for ages 5 to 8.
Maryam’s Magic: The Story of Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani by Megan Reid, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel ((HarperCollins, 2021)
Maryam Mirzakhani (1977-2017) stands out from the mathematicians covered in the preceding picture books because as a child she disliked math – instead she was a storyteller. But when she began to learn geometry at her school in Iran at age 12 she saw that numbers can tell stories too. She competed in math competitions and after college moved to the U.S. to continue studying math. This picture book does a good job explaining and illustrating her mathematical discoveries, and even describing their practical uses. Sadly, Mirzakhani died of breast cancer at age 40. I especially like how this book emphasizes that math and stories and art are not mutually exclusive. It ends with an author’s note, timeline, and list for further reading. Recommended for ages 6 to 10.