The Girl Who Played with Numbers – Shakuntala Devi

The Girl Who Played with Numbers by Lavanya Karthik is a lovely addition to her series of biographies for very young readers. A little note tells us that the illustrations in this book about Shakuntala Devi are inspired by the Mysore school of painting. While this isn’t my favourite style, I love the fact that the choice isn’t random.

I also enjoyed the story, and the part I loved best was the childlike desire to stop studying and be allowed to play instead. Shakuntala Devi may have been a genius and a prodigy, but she was, after all, a child! I like that the story mentions it without dwelling on it.

The Dreamers series is a delightful one, ideal for those looking for simple, illustrated biographical picture books. I look forward to seeing who the next dreamer in the series will be!