Emmy Noether :

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Emmy Noether :

Title :

Emmy Noether : the most important mathematician you've never heard of / Helaine Becker ; Kari Rust.

Title:

Emmy Noether :

Author:

Becker, Helaine

Format:

Books

Physical Description:

40 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 29 cm

ISBN:

9781525300592

Production / Publication Information:

Toronto : Kids Can Press, 2020.

Summary:

"When Emmy Noether is born in 1882, no one knows she's going to become a visionary mathematician. Back then, girls were expected to be gentle and quiet -- definitely not geniuses. But Emmy is a genius! And she's much more interested in math than in learning to cook and sew. Though she faces sexism and anti-Semitism, she perseveres to earn her mathematics degree and teach at a university. And when Einstein's famous Theory of Relativity has a problem that no one can solve, Emmy gets the chance of a lifetime to prove herself. That's just the first of her lasting contributions to the fields of computer science and theoretical physics. Emmy's extraordinary story is finally shared in this charming picture book biography by bestselling, award-winning children's author Helaine Becker and illustrator Kari Rust. Becker's spirited text and Rust's warm illustrations bring Emmy's lively personality to life with an appealing touch of humour. Emmy faces down every challenge with steadfast belief in her own abilities and a true love of math -- a growth mindset that will inspire young readers. With kid-friendly explanations of advanced math and physics concepts, the book provides tons of STEM curriculum links, along with a thoroughly researched biographical note about Emmy's life and sources for further reading."--

Bibliography note:

Includes bibliographic references.

Language:

English

Added Author:

Rust, Kari

Personal Subject:

Noether, Emmy, 1882-1935-Juvenile literature.

Noether, Emmy, 1882-1935.

Subject Term:

Women mathematicians -- Germany -- Biography -- Juvenile literature.

Mathematicians -- Germany -- Biography -- Juvenile literature.

Algebra -- Juvenile literature.

Women -- Biography.

Mathematicians -- Biography.

Algebra.

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Material Type	Library	Call Number	Item Barcode	Location
Book	Searching... Westford - J.V. Fletcher Library	J B NOETHER	31990004924630	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Essex - T.O.H.P. Burnham Free Library	J B NOE	32119000428193	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Middleton - Flint Public Library	J B NOETHER	32126001759831	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Newburyport Public Library	J BIOGRAPHY NOETHER E	32128003942605	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... North Andover - Stevens Memorial Library	J BIO SCIENCE NOETHER	31478003624708	Searching... Unknown

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On Order

Summary

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.

Reviews (3)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 2--4--In the late 19th century, young women were expected to conform to gender norms. They were advised to be attractive and obedient and to cook, sew, get married, and have children. Born in Erlangen, Germany, Emmy Noether (1882--1935) preferred puzzles and formulas. Although women were not permitted to attend university at this time, Noether's father arranged for his daughter to audit classes. Her fellow male classmates resented Noether for her abilities, but she persevered. In 1907, she was awarded a PhD with the highest honors. Noether, a contemporary of Albert Einstein, used her skills to repair the previously inexplicable hole in his theory of relativity. She later defined the connection between the laws of symmetry and conservation, now known as Noether's theorem. Though she was able to overcome society's sexist limitations, as a Jewish person living in 1933 Germany, she was no match for the Nazis. Friends encouraged her to move to the United States, where she taught at Bryn Mawr College until her death at 53. 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.--Barbara Auerbach, Cairo P.L., NY

Kirkus Review

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) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Early on, this picture-book biography provides a handy checklist of what Emmy Noether, a Jewish girl born in 1882 Germany, was expected to be: a pretty, quiet, and piano-playing wife and mother. Instead, Emmy was a loud, frizzy-haired, crummy piano-playing mathematical genius. She was an excellent university student who, though her best work was either dismissed or stolen by men, still managed to prove an important component of the theory of relativity, an idea proposed by another frizzy-haired math genius--Einstein. This engaging story rolls right along, whether explaining principles of physics in accessible terms, documenting the systemic misogyny Emmy faced in Germany, or describing her flight from the Nazis to the U.S. The hand-drawn, digitally colored illustrations tend to depict men in boring shades of brown, while Emmy shines in nimbuses of bright yellow clouds surrounded by swirling sparks and mathematical notations. The back matter fills in details and offers suggestions for further reading. This is a handsome addition for STEM collections, good for both browsing and research. Women in Focus: The 19th in 2020