  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 01/01/2020 Gr 4–6—This admiring picture book biography of Indian-born mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887–1920) opens with his early childhood. He liked to ponder complex questions about numbers, which his teachers were unequipped to answer. As he grew older, Ramanujan worked feverishly to find solutions, each leading to more questions and answers. His ideas evolved over time, and he developed unique formulas to solve them. In his early 20s, at the urging of colleagues and friends, Ramanujan wrote to mathematicians at Cambridge University about his theories. One last letter earned an invitation, and he sailed to Britain in 1914. He died at age 32, but his mathematical contributions live on. This engaging volume portrays the development of a brilliant, inquisitive mind and includes text inspired by the subject's own words. Students will learn terms in Tamil (definitions provided through context). While some concepts may confound the mathematically challenged, Ramanujan's resilience should motivate students to hold onto their passions. Oddly, his birth and death dates aren't given and are absent in the informative author's note. The lively, delicate ink drawings capture the sights, colors, and culture of India and, on some pages, depict numbers playfully cavorting, just as they tumbled in Ramanujan's brain. VERDICT Best for talented math students and others who enjoy exploring favorite subjects independently. Recommended for schools and large public collections; useful where STEM biographies are needed.—Carol Goldman, formerly at Queens Library, NY - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 02/01/2020 *Starred Review* Born in South India, Ramanujan did not speak for three years, but when his grandfather counted out loud to him, the child found his voice and began asking questions. While arithmetic in school seemed rigid, rote, and unappealing, his mind soared with creative dreams about numbers. At 15, Ramanujan worked his way through a college math book and then began to fill notebooks with his ideas and theories. Later, he set off for Cambridge University to collaborate with a noted mathematician. The story ends with the comment that, 100 years later, people are still searching Ramanujan's notebooks in wonderment. In an informative author’s note, Alznauer recalls that as a child, she and her family visited Cambridge, and her father discovered Ramanujan’s lost notebook. She also comments on India’s ancient mathematical tradition, Ramanujan as a number theorist, and “the profound originality of his ideas.” The perceptive text offers anecdotes that enable readers to see many sides of Ramanujan, portraying him as a genius who, driven to pursue his passion, produced work of lasting value. Miyares uses colored inks skillfully, creating vivid, imaginative scenes that help viewers envision Ramanujan’s story and its setting. An illuminating picture-book biography of a fascinating, singular figure in the history of mathematics. - Copyright 2020 Booklist. Loading...
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