D. Anne Love

A lovely picture-book biography of the fourth-century mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher, famed for her scholarship (as well as her beauty), Of Numbers and Stars was one of the official March selections for the Picture-Book Club, over in the online children's books group to which I belong. As someone who's long wanted to read more about Hypatia's life, someone who didn't even know there was a children's book available on the subject, I'm very pleased that it made the cut!

Hypatia's show more father, Theon, a professor at the university in the ancient city of Alexandria, made the atypical decision to educate his daughter, and the results were astonishing! D. Anne Love's narrative follows its subject from her infancy, through her youth, and into her famed adulthood, when her scholarship attracted students from around the Mediterranean world. Her eventual death, at the hands of a violent mob of Christian fanatics, stirred up by (St) Cyril, is detailed only in the afterword, something that left me with mixed feelings.

On the one hand, I'm aware that Love's target audience is young, and that misogyny and religious bigotry are very dark topics. On the other hand, relegating the brutality and injustice visited upon this woman to a footnote, felt almost like a white-washing of history. Hypatia's murder isn't a footnote, it's a very real part of the historical record, and as I contemplated Love's decision to (mostly) bury it, I found myself wondering: do picture-book biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr., leave out his assassination, because it is too disturbing? What about Joan of Arc - do children's books discuss her being burned at the stake? I wonder... (and I may have to investigate this further)

Leaving that issue aside, I did enjoy Of Numbers and Stars, and am glad that there is at least one book about Hypatia available to young children. The acrylic illustrations by Pam Paparone were colorful and pleasant, with a mosaic-style that felt very appropriate to the tale. All in all, I would recommend this title to younger readers, despite the criticism expressed above. show less

Of Numbers and Stars, written by D. Anne Love and illustrated by Pam Paparone, is an inspiring biography about a woman named Hypatia. Hypatia grew up in Egypt in the fourth century CE. At a young age, Hypatia’s father told her that she was entitled to the same experiences and education as boys her age. Therefore, he taught her how to fish, ride horses, and how to row a boat. The other girls were astonished by Hypatia’s abilities. Hypatia’s father also taught her reading, writing, show more arithmetic, geometry, philosophy, and astronomy. As a young adult, Hypatia wrote books and taught a group of devoted students. To this day, Hypatia is still known as a worldwide figure of intelligence.
This book is beautifully illustrated, with each page strikingly different from the last. I enjoyed the intricate detail and symbolism provided by each illustration. show less

Haley Patterson is a Gossip Column writer in her school newspaper. She writes interesting things that goes on around her school. One day her life changes. Her best friends won’t talk to her and the school’s superdiva and queen bee, Camilla Quinn, is on her tail to make the rest of Haley’s school year miserable. With the whole school turning on Haley, she is left alone and has to suffer with rumors that aren't true and students and classmates messing around with her. As summer moves show more into the year, Haley is to be staying at her Aunt’s house and is suspected to work at an exclusive mountain resort. There she is working in the pool house, handing out snacks and beverages and checking in and out towels the people use. As Haley is working she meets two really nice boys, the head lifeguard, Evan, and a horse trainer, Harrison. Haley has to face Camilla soon after making new friends and learning to trust again. Will Haley be able to face her fears of Camilla or will she have to be humiliated again? Find out in “Defying the Diva".

I personally disapprove of bullies. I really liked this book because it shows how one change in a column for a news paper can trigger a bully to be on your tail. Bullies are full of selfness and cant get enough attention. I recommend this book to people who want to get rid of their bully problems and to get rid of people who cant help themselves to hurting others. I learned from this book that strangers can become your friends if your friends run from you because of something so small. Making new friends are better than keeping old friends that hurt your feelings. Friends that are always by your side are true friends that no matter what happens they can help you through your problems that affect who you've been. That is what "Defying the Diva" shows. I would forget to trust others if it weren't for my friends who love me more than anything and they can trust me means that I can trust them and love them the way they love me. That's what this book shows. Anything can happen that can ruin your friendship with your friends, but there are always other people that can mend it. Remember to trust those who you love. show less

Of Numbers and Stars is a short yet informative book detailing the early life of Hypatia. If it wasn’t for her father’s teachings, Hypatia’s story could have been a very different one. Born in ancient Alexandria, where women rarely learned to read and write, Hypatia became a celebrated philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician.
I love learning about all historical time periods and people, but ancient civilizations have always been so fascinating to me. I had just recently listened to show more a podcast about Hypatia which is why I chose to read this book. I liked how the illustrations reflected the era in which Hypatia lived. While it did give insight into her life, as well as a brief glimpse into life in Alexandria, I did not find it to be very engaging. However, I think it would be a great introduction to her story and ancient civilizations for young readers.
This book, although not my favorite, tells an important story of a woman ahead of her time. show less