Born in Scotland more than 250 years ago, William Playfair was a dreamer
who "saw the world differently from other people." Unfortunately, this
difference sometimes got in the way of his success. Early on, as he
attempted to apply his unique perspective to a series of career
opportunities in order to gain "riches! fame! glory!" he instead
suffered one failure after another. Then, while writing a book about
economics, Will's innovative vision inspired an idea that would set him
apart: he created the first modern line graph. Next came a bar graph and
later a pie chart. These infographic inventions provided a way for
numbers to be seen as pictures, which made them easier to understand and
to remember --- and thus changed the way the world would interact with
data forever. With this story of an unconventional man whose creative
expressions revolved around math, science, engineering and technology,
bestselling author Helaine Becker has created the perfect picture book
introduction to STEM education. It would easily find use across
curriculums in the classroom. On one level, it is a well-told and
engaging biography of an intriguing man, illustrated with humor by
Marie-Ève Tremblay. But it also explores math concepts such as
measurement and geometry, as well as history, with sidebars on subjects
such as the Industrial Revolution and steam engines. In addition, the
book teaches the important lesson that everyone should follow their own
curiosities to wherever they lead. The end matter includes historical
notes, as well as more detailed explanations of the three types of
graphs.
