Friend of Numbers: The Life of Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan

"A searching portrait...Inspirational." ―Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)

"A must-purchase for libraries." ―School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW) 

A memorable, inspiring introduction to a groundbreaking figure in STEM history.

Growing up in southern India during British rule, Srinivasa Ramanujan was fascinated by numbers: they made patterns only he could see. Soon he spent as much time as he could in the world of mathematics, exploring concepts and trying to publish his ideas. In 1914, twenty-six-year-old Ramanujan sailed to England to work with the acclaimed mathematician G.H. Hardy. Cambridge University was so different from home, but Ramanujan’s love of numbers kept him going. He had big questions to ask―and important discoveries to make!

This captivating biography follows the short but brilliant life of a man recognized as a genius in his time and our own. With bright, occasionally amusing art and compelling back matter, Friend of Numbers is an unforgettable portrait of one of history’s most incredible mathematical minds.

Florida Literacy Association Children’s Book Award Grades 3-5 Nominee (2024-2025)

The Children’s Book Council Librarian FAVORITES List 3rd-5th Grade (2024)

Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute Mathical Book Prize for Grades 3-5 (2024)

National Science Teachers Association and the Children’s Book Council Best STEM Books Award List (2024)

The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) Outstanding International Books List - PreK-2 (2024)

 

Priya Naranyanan is a writer, poet, and interior architect based in Ahmedabad, India. While researching Friend of Numbers, she traveled to many places associated with Srinivasa Ramanujan, including his homes in Kumbakonam and Chennai, India, and in Cambridge, England. Visit Priya's website at priyanarayanan.in and follow her on Twitter @moonspotting.


Satwik Gade is an artist and designer whose work is inspired by comics, Indian mythology, and Impressionist art. He lives in Chennai, India, where he is the political cartoonist for the newspaper The Hindu. Follow Satwik on Instagram @satwikgade.