A vivid biographical depiction of history, math, science, and the importance of women in STEM.
An unsung heroine of math and science.
Born in 1882, when education for women was discouraged and society mostly ignored their intellectual talents, Emmy Noether, a White, German Jewish woman, managed to subsist on a small inheritance while discovering laws of physics and mathematics that changed our understanding of the universe. Clear, straightforward text that is full of drama and excitement and striking, evocative art with a subtle sense of humor portray her unusual life, quirky personality, struggles with sexism and anti-Semitism, and groundbreaking discoveries in clear, easy-to-understand detail. By explicitly presenting both the cultural beliefs of the time and the legal and academic limitations women were subjected to, Becker and Rust allow Noether’s accomplishments to shine all the brighter. The scientific and mathematical concepts she clarified and/or identified, such as the theory of relativity and Noether’s theorem, are explained in an impressively accessible manner. Just enough information on the Nazis’ rise to power is included to relay its danger and significance without taking the focus away from Noether, her brilliance, and her continuous dedication to mathematics, including her mentorship of students. Noether’s single-mindedness and accomplishments are sure to inspire admiration while the injustices she faced and her own quiet rebellion may lead many young readers to further questions and exploration. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11.3-by-17.8-inch double-page spreads viewed at 71.8% of actual size.)
A vivid biographical depiction of history, math, science, and the importance of women in STEM. (author’s note, further reading) (Picture book/biography. 6-10)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0059-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
A picture book worth reading about a historical figure worth remembering.
An honestly told biography of an important politician whose name every American should know.
Published while the United States has its first African-American president, this story of John Roy Lynch, the first African-American speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives, lays bare the long and arduous path black Americans have walked to obtain equality. The title’s first three words—“The Amazing Age”—emphasize how many more freedoms African-Americans had during Reconstruction than for decades afterward. Barton and Tate do not shy away from honest depictions of slavery, floggings, the Ku Klux Klan, Jim Crow laws, or the various means of intimidation that whites employed to prevent blacks from voting and living lives equal to those of whites. Like President Barack Obama, Lynch was of biracial descent; born to an enslaved mother and an Irish father, he did not know hard labor until his slave mistress asked him a question that he answered honestly. Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, Lynch had a long and varied career that points to his resilience and perseverance. Tate’s bright watercolor illustrations often belie the harshness of what takes place within them; though this sometimes creates a visual conflict, it may also make the book more palatable for young readers unaware of the violence African-Americans have suffered than fully graphic images would. A historical note, timeline, author’s and illustrator’s notes, bibliography and map are appended.
A picture book worth reading about a historical figure worth remembering. (Picture book biography. 7-10)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5379-0
Page Count: 50
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
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