Powerful Mathematicians Who Changed the World: Federico Ardila, What We Do When Fairness Fails Us

Rating: Not for Me

Reading Level: High School

I was really hoping to love this one, with its emphasis on statistics and equity, two passions of mine. It was published by NCTM, which is an organization that has a history of supporting mathematics education. While the math was good, the authors tried to develop rapport with readers in unhealthy ways, like lying to your parents and cussing.

Possible Concerns:

• Cussing. Damn, hell, bullshit, etc., were common throughout
• Lying to parents. This part I really didn’t understand. The three kids went to all all-ages club where the mathematician was DJing for a benefit fundraiser. They wanted to ask the mathematician questions. But they lied to their parents about it, and told them they were going to the movies. Why lie about this to your parents? This book perpetuates the cycles of distrust between parents and kids.
• Racist slurs, Beaner, and others. The point was that a kid was trying to be funny, not racist, but the damage was still there.
• Inappropriate dancing, high schooler kissing a scantily clad college boy. p.11 “They were dancing, twisting together, flowing, and popping and locking to that damn Good Gas song about he jaccuzzi. And just right as the video cut off, Marissa caught her sister and Micah lean in for a kiss… kissing a college boy who was scantily clad…”
• Suicide. References to therapy, and someone hanging himself
• Ghosts. The main character makes a cross sign to be safe against ghosts.
• Conservatives on sexuality might like to know that the mentor uplifts a queer Chicana feminist writer in order to help the main character find his identity.

I’m disappointed because at its core, this was a fantastic story. For me, the negative influences outweighs the good on this one, but if the possible concerns listed above don’t bother you, then you’re in for some excellent math and models of advocacy.