Nothing Stopped Sophie

April 1, 2018
A girl mathematician? Impossible!"Telling Sophie not to think about math was like telling a bird not to soar," but that's exactly what people did. Growing up a middle-class, white female in late-18th-century France, Sophie Germain was discouraged from studying, especially from studying math, a discipline reserved for educated men. Markers, gouache, and elements of collage energetically power illustrations that are often filled with numbers, expanding on the appealing text and emphasizing the concept of vibration that Sophie later illuminated. She sneaked out of bed to learn the basics, corresponded anonymously with experts, and struggled for fair treatment. Becoming a mathematician was challenging, but as the story's repeating, titular refrain states, "nothing stopped Sophie"--not the French Revolution, not the sexism of the time, and not the mathematical complexities she worked through to discover the formula that made her the eventual winner of a prestigious academic contest. Resilience is the focus here, as well as the groundbreaking nature of her work; Sophie with her quiet focus and staunch dedication was able to make a difference by predicting patterns of vibration, information later used in architecture, as well as paving the way for other women in the field and, by implication, girls learning about math today.As an entree into the world of mathematics, this portrait of a quiet heroine is elegant, striking, and sure to inspire. (biographical and historical notes, bibliography, author's note, illustrator's note) (Picture book/biography. 6-10)

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July 9, 2018
Growing up during the French Revolution, mathematician Sophie Germain found in her study of mathematics the clarity and order missing in the outside world. Bardoe details Germain’s shrewd determination—how she acquired notes from university courses and mailed in homework under a male name. When she becomes the first woman to receive a grand prize from the Royal Academy of Sciences, she gains notoriety as a mathematician. McClintock’s scenes of 18th-century France are infused with a golden glow; numbers loom along city streets and burst from Germain’s quill pen. Bardoe concludes this warm biography by emphasizing how later mathematicians built upon Germain’s work “to build the Eiffel Tower in Paris and modern skyscrapers and lengthy bridges all over the world.” Ages 4–8.

March 1, 2018
Grades 2-4 It would have been difficult growing up in Paris during the French Revolution, not in the least because women were denied basic education, let alone opportunities for advanced studies. But this engaging picture-book biography introduces readers to determined and brilliant mathematician Sophie Germain, who chased just that. Whether trying to overcome barriers presented by her parents, society in general, or the Royal Academy of Sciences, Sophie persevered in finding solutions to daunting mathematical challenges that confounded her male contemporaries. Her work in predicting patterns of vibrations laid the foundation for advances in construction techniques that are still being used today. McClintock's intriguingly detailed illustrations highlight period details, emphasize Sophie's gentle demeanor, and exuberantly show Sophie surrounded, inspired, and even protected by swirling numerical equations that splash across pages and endpapers. Sophisticated vocabulary, evocative imagery, and lofty math concepts (though presented in an accessible manner) skew this toward a slightly older audience. Author and illustrator notes provide additional insights, making this a useful and inspiring addition for STEM collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2018
An early, vivid anecdote draws readers in to this compelling picture-book biography: young Sophie Germain, in Revolutionary France, would sneak out of bed at night--to study math! One morning Sophie was found bundled in blankets, asleep at her desk, next to a pot of ink that had frozen solid. At nineteen, the ever-determined mathematician borrowed university course notes and surreptitiously submitted homework under a male pseudonym. Later, she twice failed an Academy of Sciences contest until finally, with her third entry, she became the first woman awarded a grand prize, for her work on predicting vibration patterns. Bardoe's writing is graceful and lyrical: Telling Sophie not to think about math was like telling a bird not to soar. And it's powerful, too: the phrase nothing stopped Sophie is repeated throughout the story, serving as a nevertheless-she-persisted refrain that also ties in neatly with current math education thinking on grit and growth mindset. But what will make readers revisit this book are McClintock's spirited illustrations. Rendered in gouache, collage, and colored markers, they feature turn-of-the-nineteenth-century details (period clothing, quill pens, oil lamps) and bold, whimsical touches: Sophie's swirling math equations literally knock the hats off male scholars' heads. It all adds up to an inspiring portrait of the plucky, self-taught mathematician. Further biographical, historical, and mathematical information; a bibliography; and author and illustrator notes are appended. tanya d. auger

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2018
An early, vivid anecdote draws readers in to this compelling picture-book biography: young Sophie Germain, in Revolutionary France, would sneak out of bed at night--to study math! Bardoe's writing is graceful, lyrical, and powerful, with the phrase "nothing stopped Sophie" repeated throughout. McClintock's spirited illustrations, in gouache, collage, and colored markers, feature turn-of-the-nineteenth-century details and bold, whimsical touches. Bib.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from March 1, 2018

Gr 1-3-An illuminating look into the life and work of Sophie Germain, a self-taught mathematician, who was the first woman to win a prize from the Paris Academy of Sciences. Bardoe's prose injects the title refrain often as the story unfolds. Germain, who came of age during the French Revolution, studied math despite her parents' wishes. Women were not allowed to attend university, but she secretly got notes from math classes and sent in homework using a male name. She worked for six years on a theorem to predict patterns of vibration, and experienced rejection at least twice before her work was accepted. The artwork-created with pen and ink, watercolor, and collage-is truly a sight to behold. McClintock depicts Germain's inner thoughts, often numbers and equations, surrounding her and at times isolating her from others. This makes the penultimate spread of Germain's prize-winning equation extending from her person and wrapping around the male scholars, even more triumphant in comparison. Extended back matter includes more about Germain's life, recommendations for further research and activities, a selected bibliography, an author's note, and an illustrator's note. VERDICT Excellent illustrations elevate the inspiring prose, making it a highly recommended choice to the growing shelf of picture book biographies featuring women in STEM.-Kacy Helwick, New Orleans Public Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.