Reviews
Numbers in Motion: Sophie Kowalevski, Queen of Mathematics by Laurie Wallmark, Yevgenia Nayberg
lara_lleverino's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic living book about a woman in mathematics before women were allowed to go to University or teach at higher learning schools. It is a great story of the sacrifices a woman was willing to make to follow her giftedness. Very interesting! Some of the sacrifices she had to make make my heart hurt. She had to marry someone for the convenience to leave the country because she needed a man’s permission and her father wouldn’t grant it. She had to work initially as a non student and then as a teacher without pay. Hard for little girls to hear these days but maybe it makes them appreciate the sacrifices of those before them.
readaloud_mom's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
Yay, another solid woman-in-STEM biography from Laurie Wallmark! This time we have a story focused on Sophie Kowalevski (1850-1891), a Russian mathematician who should be more widely known.
As she does in her other books, Wallmark strikes a deft balance between not glossing over the sexist barriers that Kowalevski faced, while still writing a positive, inspiring story about a groundbreaking mathematician who loved her work and discovered cool things.
The pace of the text combined with rather subdued illustrations might not grab the attention of the preschool set. However, my first grader definitely found this book inspiring (including some imaginative play). We've returned to it for multiple re-reads.
As she does in her other books, Wallmark strikes a deft balance between not glossing over the sexist barriers that Kowalevski faced, while still writing a positive, inspiring story about a groundbreaking mathematician who loved her work and discovered cool things.
The pace of the text combined with rather subdued illustrations might not grab the attention of the preschool set. However, my first grader definitely found this book inspiring (including some imaginative play). We've returned to it for multiple re-reads.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism
wordnerd153's review against another edition
4.0
Inspiring biography of a woman who refused to give up or adhere to gender stereotypes.
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