Mathical Book Prize 2022 Winners
Berkeley, CA – February 10, 2022 — The Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) announced today the 2022 winners of the Mathical Book Prize, which recognizes outstanding fiction and literary nonfiction for youth ages 2-18. This year’s selections explore the many facets of mathematics in the world around us, from cleverly crafted puzzles to the colorful—and emotional—stories of groundbreaking women and resilience and healing in the aftermath of tragedy.
Young children will delight in creating whimsical creatures to count upon or try their hand at clever ways to chart their home and family life. For middle-grade readers, the brilliant geometrical explorations of Iranian-born mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani and the moving tale of a transfer student who finds solace in math and logic after a tragedy in her school community explore more ways to see the beauty and hope in the world around us.
2022 Winners
For Pre-Kindergarten, the Mathical Award Winner is 1 Smile, 10 Toes by Nelleke Verhoeff (Barefoot Books).
For Grades K-2, the Mathical Award Winner is Uma Wimple Charts Her House byReif Larsen and Ben Gibson (Random House Children’s Books).
For Grades 3-5, the Mathical Award Winner is Maryam’s Magic: The Story Of Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani by Megan Reid, with illustrations by Aaliya Jaleel (HarperCollins Children’s Books).
For Grades 6-8, the Mathical Award Winner is AfterMath by Emily Barth Isler (Lerner Publishing Group).
2022 Mathical Honor Books
The following Mathical Honor Books were also announced by the selection committee, co-chaired this year by Elizabeth (Betsy) Bird, collection development manager of the Evanston (IL) Public Library system and reviewer for Kirkus and the New York Times, Katie Hendrickson, president of the Code.org advocacy coalition, and a former secondary school mathematics teacher, and Dr. Candice Price, assistant professor of mathematics at Smith College and co-founder of the website Mathematically Gifted and Black.
PreK
- What Will Fit? by Grace Lin (Charlesbridge)
- Circle Under Berry by Carter Higgins (Chronicle Books)
- Shape Up, Construction Trucks by Victoria Allenby (Pajama Press)
- Marta! Big and Small by Jen Arena, with illustrations by Angela Dominguez (Roaring Brook Press / Macmillan).
Grades K-2
- We Are One: How the World Adds Up by Susan Hood, with illustrations by Linda Yan (Candlewick Press).
Grades 3-5
- Molly and the Mathematical Mysteries: Ten Interactive Adventures in Mathematical Wonderland by Eugenia Cheng, with illustrations by Aleksandra Artymowska (Candlewick Press)
- Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer by Traci Sorell, with illustrations by Natasha Donovan (Lerner Publishing Group)
- If the World Were 100 People: A Visual Guide to Our Global Village by Jackie McCann, with illustrations by Aaron Cushley (Random House Children’s Books)
- Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor by Laurie Wallmark, with illustrations by Katy Wu (Union Square & Co.).
Grades 6-8
- In the Red by Christopher Swiedler (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
- Much Ado About Baseball by Rajani LaRocca (Little Bee Books)
- It’s a Numbers Game! Baseball by James Buckley, Jr. (National Geographic Kids Books).
Grades 9-12
- The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kissby Amy Noelle Parks (Harry N. Abrams).
In addition, two new Mathical Hall of Fame titles were selected by the prize committee: Anno’s Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno (1977) and The Cat in Numberland by Ivar Ekeland with illustrations by John O’Brien (2006).
About the Mathical Prize
The Mathical Book Prize is awarded by the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI), in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and in coordination with the Children’s Book Council (CBC).
The Mathical Book Prize is made possible through the generous support of the Firedoll Foundation and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.
MSRI partners with organizations including First Book, School Library Journal, the Books for Kids Foundation, and others around the U.S. to distribute Mathical titles to children in need.
Additional resources to support educators, librarians, and families can be accessed at mathicalbooks.org.
About MSRI
The Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) is one of the world’s preeminent centers for collaborative research in mathematics. Located in Berkeley, California, MSRI’s mission is to advance mathematical research, foster talent, and further the appreciation of mathematics. MSRI strives to make mathematics accessible and exciting to those outside the field through the National Math Festival, sponsorship of Numberphile (YouTube’s most popular informal mathematics channel, with over 3.2 million subscribers), film production for public television, and the Mathical Book Prize. www.msri.org
