{"id":5780952135,"title":"Pythagoras and the Ratios","handle":"pythagoras-and-the-ratios","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\" size=\"4\"\u003ePythagoras and the Ratios\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\" size=\"3\"\u003eA Math Adventure\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca title=\"Julie Ellis\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/julie-ellis\"\u003eJulie Ellis\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca title=\"Phyllis Hornung\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/phyllis-hornung\"\u003ePhyllis Hornung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRock on!\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJulie Ellis and Phyllis Hornung Peacock team up once again to explore Pythagorean ratios in this humorous sequel to \u003cem\u003eWhat's Your Angle, Pythagoras?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePythagoras and his cousins want to win a music contest, but first they must figure out how to play their instruments in tune, something that's never been done before. While trying to fix the problem, Pythagoras makes an important discovery--notes that sound pleasant together have a certain mathematical relationship. When Pythagoras applies this ratio to his cousins' pipes and lyres, the result is music to the ears.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"What's Your Angle, Pythagoras?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/whats-your-angle-pythagoras\"\u003eWhat's Your Angle, Pythagoras?\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Sir Cumference Math Adventures\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/collections\/sir-cumference-math-adventures\"\u003eSir Cumference Math Adventures\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-spread.jpg?7724654202789656446\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJulie Ellis, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJulie Ellis is the author of many books for children, including \u003ci\u003eWhat's Your Angle, Pythagoras\u003c\/i\u003e, which she wrote as a way to show her daughter the uses of the Pythagorean Theorem. She lives in New Zealand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Julie Ellis\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/julie-ellis\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Julie.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhyllis Hornung, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhyllis Hornung graduated from the Columbus College of Art \u0026amp; Design with a degree in illustration. She currently resides in Los Angeles where she spends most of her time drawing and painting. When she's not hard at work painting, she can be found browsing bookstores, reading, watching movies, or playing video games.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Phyllis Hornung\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/phyllis-hornung\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Phyllis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn ancient Greece, a young musician makes exciting discoveries. The boy Pythagoras, brimming with curiosity, steps up to help when his friend Octavius might be unable to compete in an upcoming musical contest. The problem is an awful noise coming from Octavius's new pipes. With a stylus, clay tablet, measuring cord and his sharp wits, mathematician-to-be Pythagoras figures out the relationship between pipe length and resultant sound and helps fashion a perfectly pitched set of pipes for Octavius. The lyres of his friends Amara and Reyna provide a more difficult challenge, one that Pythagoras solves (in a race against the clock) with scales and tiny rocks. He does it so successfully that he and his friends form Pythagoras and the Ratios...the first rock group! The book's educational aspects are fascinating--both the text and the acrylic-and-colored-pencil illustrations bring these to life--but it's flat-footed on the story's narrative aspects, both visually and textually. Helpful addenda provide interesting information on Pythagoras and the application of his ratios to music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis picture-book introduction to ratio and proportion also explains the connection between math and music through a story featuring young Pythagoras and his family. Preoccupied by mathematical problems, the protagonist is constantly in trouble with his parents for neglecting his chores. When his cousin Octavius offends everyone's ears with the dissonant pipes he is practicing for an upcoming music contest, the young mathematician hears a challenge. He measures his own set of melodious pipes, calculating the ratio of each pipe to the shortest one, and discovers that Octavius's pipes need to be shortened. Later, he tunes other cousins' lyres by attaching rocks to the strings to adjust the tension. With all the instruments finally ready, the cousins play together at the contest. Unfinished chores and a broken set of pipes leave Pythagoras out of the performance, but the end result is the first \"rock\" group, which is a big success. The story is amusing and offers a glimpse into life in ancient Greece. Acrylic and colored pencil cartoons depict the clothing and lifestyle of the period in a pleasing palette. A historical note and an experiment which readers are challenged to use Pythagorean ratios to create a musical instrument with six glasses of water in varying amounts are appended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-cover.jpg?v=1674062181\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1674061948\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-57091-775-2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-57091-776-9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-60734-189-5 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 7-10\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e x 9 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2016-03-25T17:58:00-04:00","created_at":"2016-03-25T15:01:41-04:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Fiction","Browse by Format_Early Reader","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Concept Books","Browse by Subject_Early Childhood","Browse by Subject_Life Lessons \u0026 Skills","Browse by Subject_Math \u0026 Counting","Browse by Subject_Story Time \u0026 Play"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":18274851847,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"17769","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":38455317332205,"product_id":5780952135,"position":1,"created_at":"2023-01-18T12:22:38-05:00","updated_at":"2023-01-18T12:22:40-05:00","alt":null,"width":600,"height":671,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-cover.jpg?v=1674062560","variant_ids":[18274851847]},"available":true,"name":"Pythagoras and the Ratios - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":799,"weight":159,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":1,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"978-1-57091-776-9","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":31045228953837,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.894,"height":671,"width":600,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-cover.jpg?v=1674062560"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-cover.jpg?v=1674062560"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-cover.jpg?v=1674062560","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":31045228953837,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.894,"height":671,"width":600,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-cover.jpg?v=1674062560"},"aspect_ratio":0.894,"height":671,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-cover.jpg?v=1674062560","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\" size=\"4\"\u003ePythagoras and the Ratios\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\" size=\"3\"\u003eA Math Adventure\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca title=\"Julie Ellis\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/julie-ellis\"\u003eJulie Ellis\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca title=\"Phyllis Hornung\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/phyllis-hornung\"\u003ePhyllis Hornung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRock on!\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJulie Ellis and Phyllis Hornung Peacock team up once again to explore Pythagorean ratios in this humorous sequel to \u003cem\u003eWhat's Your Angle, Pythagoras?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePythagoras and his cousins want to win a music contest, but first they must figure out how to play their instruments in tune, something that's never been done before. While trying to fix the problem, Pythagoras makes an important discovery--notes that sound pleasant together have a certain mathematical relationship. When Pythagoras applies this ratio to his cousins' pipes and lyres, the result is music to the ears.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"What's Your Angle, Pythagoras?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/whats-your-angle-pythagoras\"\u003eWhat's Your Angle, Pythagoras?\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Sir Cumference Math Adventures\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/collections\/sir-cumference-math-adventures\"\u003eSir Cumference Math Adventures\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-spread.jpg?7724654202789656446\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJulie Ellis, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJulie Ellis is the author of many books for children, including \u003ci\u003eWhat's Your Angle, Pythagoras\u003c\/i\u003e, which she wrote as a way to show her daughter the uses of the Pythagorean Theorem. She lives in New Zealand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Julie Ellis\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/julie-ellis\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Julie.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhyllis Hornung, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhyllis Hornung graduated from the Columbus College of Art \u0026amp; Design with a degree in illustration. She currently resides in Los Angeles where she spends most of her time drawing and painting. When she's not hard at work painting, she can be found browsing bookstores, reading, watching movies, or playing video games.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Phyllis Hornung\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/phyllis-hornung\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Phyllis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn ancient Greece, a young musician makes exciting discoveries. The boy Pythagoras, brimming with curiosity, steps up to help when his friend Octavius might be unable to compete in an upcoming musical contest. The problem is an awful noise coming from Octavius's new pipes. With a stylus, clay tablet, measuring cord and his sharp wits, mathematician-to-be Pythagoras figures out the relationship between pipe length and resultant sound and helps fashion a perfectly pitched set of pipes for Octavius. The lyres of his friends Amara and Reyna provide a more difficult challenge, one that Pythagoras solves (in a race against the clock) with scales and tiny rocks. He does it so successfully that he and his friends form Pythagoras and the Ratios...the first rock group! The book's educational aspects are fascinating--both the text and the acrylic-and-colored-pencil illustrations bring these to life--but it's flat-footed on the story's narrative aspects, both visually and textually. Helpful addenda provide interesting information on Pythagoras and the application of his ratios to music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis picture-book introduction to ratio and proportion also explains the connection between math and music through a story featuring young Pythagoras and his family. Preoccupied by mathematical problems, the protagonist is constantly in trouble with his parents for neglecting his chores. When his cousin Octavius offends everyone's ears with the dissonant pipes he is practicing for an upcoming music contest, the young mathematician hears a challenge. He measures his own set of melodious pipes, calculating the ratio of each pipe to the shortest one, and discovers that Octavius's pipes need to be shortened. Later, he tunes other cousins' lyres by attaching rocks to the strings to adjust the tension. With all the instruments finally ready, the cousins play together at the contest. Unfinished chores and a broken set of pipes leave Pythagoras out of the performance, but the end result is the first \"rock\" group, which is a big success. The story is amusing and offers a glimpse into life in ancient Greece. Acrylic and colored pencil cartoons depict the clothing and lifestyle of the period in a pleasing palette. A historical note and an experiment which readers are challenged to use Pythagorean ratios to create a musical instrument with six glasses of water in varying amounts are appended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-cover.jpg?v=1674062181\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pythagoras-and-the-ratios-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1674061948\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-57091-775-2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-57091-776-9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-60734-189-5 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 7-10\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e x 9 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}

Pythagoras and the Ratios

Pythagoras and the Ratios
A Math Adventure

By: Julie Ellis / Illustrated by: Phyllis Hornung

Rock on!

Julie Ellis and Phyllis Hornung Peacock team up once again to explore Pythagorean ratios in this humorous sequel to What's Your Angle, Pythagoras?

Pythagoras and his cousins want to win a music contest, but first they must figure out how to play their instruments in tune, something that's never been done before. While trying to fix the problem, Pythagoras makes an important discovery--notes that sound pleasant together have a certain mathematical relationship. When Pythagoras applies this ratio to his cousins' pipes and lyres, the result is music to the ears.

Maximum quantity available reached.

Julie Ellis, author

Julie Ellis is the author of many books for children, including What's Your Angle, Pythagoras, which she wrote as a way to show her daughter the uses of the Pythagorean Theorem. She lives in New Zealand.

Read more about Julie.


Phyllis Hornung, illustrator

Phyllis Hornung graduated from the Columbus College of Art & Design with a degree in illustration. She currently resides in Los Angeles where she spends most of her time drawing and painting. When she's not hard at work painting, she can be found browsing bookstores, reading, watching movies, or playing video games.

Read more about Phyllis.

Kirkus Reviews

In ancient Greece, a young musician makes exciting discoveries. The boy Pythagoras, brimming with curiosity, steps up to help when his friend Octavius might be unable to compete in an upcoming musical contest. The problem is an awful noise coming from Octavius's new pipes. With a stylus, clay tablet, measuring cord and his sharp wits, mathematician-to-be Pythagoras figures out the relationship between pipe length and resultant sound and helps fashion a perfectly pitched set of pipes for Octavius. The lyres of his friends Amara and Reyna provide a more difficult challenge, one that Pythagoras solves (in a race against the clock) with scales and tiny rocks. He does it so successfully that he and his friends form Pythagoras and the Ratios...the first rock group! The book's educational aspects are fascinating--both the text and the acrylic-and-colored-pencil illustrations bring these to life--but it's flat-footed on the story's narrative aspects, both visually and textually. Helpful addenda provide interesting information on Pythagoras and the application of his ratios to music.

School Library Journal

This picture-book introduction to ratio and proportion also explains the connection between math and music through a story featuring young Pythagoras and his family. Preoccupied by mathematical problems, the protagonist is constantly in trouble with his parents for neglecting his chores. When his cousin Octavius offends everyone's ears with the dissonant pipes he is practicing for an upcoming music contest, the young mathematician hears a challenge. He measures his own set of melodious pipes, calculating the ratio of each pipe to the shortest one, and discovers that Octavius's pipes need to be shortened. Later, he tunes other cousins' lyres by attaching rocks to the strings to adjust the tension. With all the instruments finally ready, the cousins play together at the contest. Unfinished chores and a broken set of pipes leave Pythagoras out of the performance, but the end result is the first "rock" group, which is a big success. The story is amusing and offers a glimpse into life in ancient Greece. Acrylic and colored pencil cartoons depict the clothing and lifestyle of the period in a pleasing palette. A historical note and an experiment which readers are challenged to use Pythagorean ratios to create a musical instrument with six glasses of water in varying amounts are appended.

Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-57091-775-2

Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-57091-776-9

E-book
ISBN: 978-1-60734-189-5 PDF

Ages: 7-10
Page count: 32
1/2 x 9 1/2