A review by readaloud_mom
Numbers in Motion: Sophie Kowalevski, Queen of Mathematics by Laurie Wallmark
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