In this engaging and inspiring biography, a groundbreaking but relatively unknown woman finally gets her due as one of the most influential mathematicians of the twentieth century.
Emmy Noether is not pretty, quiet, good at housework or eager to marry --- all the things a German girl is expected to be in her time. What she is, though, is a genius at math. When she grows up, she finds a way to first study math at a university (by sitting in, not actually enrolling) and then to teach it (by doing so for free). She also manages to do her own research into some of the most pressing math and physics problems of the day. And though she doesn't get much credit during her lifetime, her discoveries continue to influence how we understand the world today.
Bestselling and award-winning Helaine Becker has crafted an engaging look at the life of Emmy Noether, a contemporary of Einstein's and one of the most influential, though little known, mathematicians of the twentieth century. Despite the obstacles she faced as a woman in a male-dominated field, and as a Jew who had to flee the Nazis, Emmy still accomplished a great deal. Artwork by Kari Rust uses touches of humor for emphasis and a golden glowing effect around Emmy to visually express her brilliance and ideas. Back matter includes a biographical note, explanations of complex mathematical concepts and suggestions for further reading. There are curriculum links to physics and mathematics --- subjects portrayed here as fascinating and exciting --- and poignant real-life character education lessons on courage and perseverance. ISBN 978-1525300592 $19.99 CA/$18.99 US
Reviews:
"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."
-- Kirkus Reviews
"The humorous, engaging text uses everyday objects such as bowling balls and socks to explain abstract theories. Lighthearted, hand-drawn, and digitally colored illustrations provide a welcome balance to the occasionally weighty subject matter; comical speech bubbles add to this effect. A lengthy author’s note and bibliography will satisfy curious readers. Pair with Becker’s Counting on Katherine or Cheryl Bardoe’s Nothing Stopped Sophie. VERDICT A worthy addition to the growing collection of STEM-related picture book biographies of pioneering women."
- School Library Journal
"This picture book tells the life story of a little-known female mathematician. Emmy Noether always excelled in math even as a young girl growing up in Germany at the end of the nineteenth century. She preferred doing puzzles to playing the piano or doing things expected of girls at that time. Emmy wanted to attend university to study math, but this was not permitted at that time. Her father was a professor there, so she was allowed to sit in on classes. Even though the male students resented her because of her intelligence, they often asked her for help with homework without giving her credit. Eventually she was accepted into the university, but even after earning a degree, she was not permitted to teach men. About this time, Albert Einstein was developing his theories of relativity and Noether helped solve one of the problems in his theory. While working on that problem, she thought about related laws of physics and discovered that the laws of symmetry and conservation are linked. Her work on the principle of symmetry became known as Noether’s Theorem. The author does an excellent job in explaining physics in terms that are easy to understand, aided by the illustrator’s appealing drawings which are hand drawn and digitally colored. For instance, the illustrator demonstrates symmetrical motion by showing Emmy on a swing. This book works well as a read aloud and uses a checklist format to begin and end Noether’s story.
THOUGHTS: This is an excellent picture book biography that shows how one woman overcame obstacles in order to reach her goals. This text could be used to introduce basic physics in science units. Becker’s work would also be a good choice for Women’s History Month. Elementary librarians should consider adding this one to their biography or math sections."
- PSLA Media Selection Review
"Oh, my goodness gracious me! I came THIS close to missing this book this year. Slot this one into the good math-related picture book biography section. This book doesn’t disappoint. First of all, it eschews the usual pitfalls such books fall into far too often. No fake dialogue, no fictionalized scenes for dramatic effect, NONE of that! Instead, it’s a fun recounting of the facts surrounding Emmy’s life. At the beginning you get a checklist of the qualities girls were supposed to embody in the late 19th century. That list is paralleled on the opposite page by all the things Emmy couldn’t do (the usual “feminine” talents) and what she could (puzzles and math). She managed to sit in on the local university’s classes, and attend when it changed its rules and let women in. When Einstein’s theory of relativity had a hole in it, Emmy was able to use the field of algebra called “invariance” to solve it. And when the Nazis rode to power, Einstein helped set her up in America. Oh, and did we mention that she invented Noether’s theorem, and worked on “ideal theory” which has helped underlie computer science today? The art and writing together in this book are great, and I was very impressed by the mathematical explanations. I wouldn’t say a kid would understand everything, but it at least may make some want to learn more so that they CAN understand it. 2020 has seen a plethora of biographies for kids of individuals that weren’t attention hogs, so this book would pair nicely with The Only Woman in the Room. Or Nothing Stopped Sophie for that matter. So much fun."
-- School Library Journal
"Becker’s strength is her ability to simplify abstract mathematical concepts, using language accessible to lay people. As well, Becker creates an appealing character in Emmy, a brilliant thinker stuck in an era where her talents were never fully appreciated because of her sex. However, Emmy never dwells on her lack of recognition; she simply moves on to solve another problem. Becker effectively makes use of humor as well—often to detail the ridiculous constraints placed upon women of the time.
Rust’s digitally enhanced, hand-drawn artwork incorporates mathematical notation into many of the spreads and often includes snide asides spoken by Noether’s stuffy peers. The colour palette varies but often includes cosmic blacks and purples accented in brilliant yellow hues.
With engaging text, intriguing artwork, and informative back matter, Emmy Noether: The Most Important Mathematician You’ve Never Heard Of makes a great addition to the growing canon of titles spotlighting unsung female mathematicians."
Highly Recommended --CM Reviews
"Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5
What did you like about the book? Why haven’t we ever heard of Emmy Noether (pronounced ner-ter)? Because she was a woman, and Jewish, and during the first half of the twentieth century, woman were rarely given credit for their scientific contributions. In fact, she solved the problem that allowed Einstein to publish his theory of relativity.
I really like how the author shows the disadvantage of being a girl with math prowess when Emmy was young. She didn’t check the boxes of being pretty, quiet, able to cook and sew, play the piano, etc. in order to gain acceptance. Although she wasn’t initially allowed to enroll at the university, she sat in on classes and ended up being smarter than all of the other students, and helped them with their homework. And when she finally began to be recognized in the male-dominated field of math, the Nazis came to power in Germany, and she had to flee the country. The playful illustrations help emphasize Emmy’s creative approach to math problems and her unorthodox way of expressing herself. This is an inspiring picture book biography, with an appealing blend of biographical information and explanations of math and physics. An author’s note adds more information, and there’s a list of further reading at the end.
Anything you didn’t like about it? No
To whom would you recommend this book? For fans of picture book biographies, especially those who enjoy reading about little known luminaries in math and physics, ages 6-10.
Who should buy this book? Elementary school and public libraries
Where would you shelve it ? Biography."
--Youth Services Review, Massachusetts Librarians
"The book is excellent for kids as it gives them a more diverse picture of who scientists are, and shows them that scientists are human beings,” he says. “As a physicist, I also loved that it exposes kids to some powerful scientific ideas that researchers around the world — including at Perimeter — still use today.”
--Damian Pope, Senior Manager of Scientific Outreach at the Perimeter Institute (who reviewed the text for
scientific accuracy)
"Emmy Noether: The Most Important Mathematician You’ve Never Heard of is highly recommended. It includes a detailed author’s note with additional information and a list of suggested resources."
--Jewish Book Council
