The LuckyBooks charity project has presented a book by a Japanese mathematician Masao Morita A Mathematician Who Turned into an Ant in the Sasha Chekalin library in Kyiv. With this book, the well-known science educator and TedEx speaker tried for the first time to introduce his ideas to children. He combined a mathematical view of the world with the concepts of classical Japanese philosophy. His text was illustrated by Katsuji Wakisaka, a famous textile designer and book illustrator. To frame the story, Wakisaka created an eclectic and symbolic series of illustrations.

I haven’t read the book yet, but I really like the illustrations. They are not as other illustrations in children’s books. They seem childlike, yet if you look closer, you realize that they are not as simple as it seems at first. The same story with the fragment of the book they read to us: it seems very simple, but there is also information to think about. I like things like that, says eighth-grader Dmitry.

The book was translated in Ukrainian and published thanks to the LuckyBooks charitable publishing project and the Chernivtsi publishing house ‘Chorni Vivtsi’. The first presentation of the book has passed in the Sasha Chekalin library in Kyiv. That day, there was a wide variety of children ready to immerse into the world of exciting science.

Now, our readers know such mathematical terms as topology, Möbius strip, magic squares, symmetry! A special feature of this book, as well as Japanese children’s literature in general, is the explanation of facts with simple words and signs. Plus, we went further and started exploring the incredible world of extraordinary mathematics and establishing new skills. Unexpectedly, science appeared to be fun. Some of our young readers were dreaming of meeting and talking to a real scientist, and it happened! - told a representative of the Sasha Chekalin library.

The book presentation was held by candidate of physical and mathematical sciences, a senior researcher in the NASU Institute of Mathematics Iryna Yegorchenko. She showed the young readers that mathematics could be not only complicated but also fascinating. 

Mathematics is a very beautiful and interesting science, and we want children to see this beauty. People invented mathematics to make life easier. That is why it is important to learn how to enjoy the benefits of making better decisions and understanding the world around us. Math helps cultivate one’s mind. Just like physical training, it is important to do math not only once in a while but the whole your life. This way, it can change your mind for better and help you develop thinking skills, - says Iryna Yegorchenko.

A Mathematician Who Turned into an Ant is the seventh book published with the help of LuckyBooks project. It is not the first time the project chooses the mathematical topic. Last year, LuckyBooks published a book by the Ukrainian author Kuzko Kuziakin #WHATISMATH?. The book was included to the list of the state purchases in 2018 and was awarded the 2018 All-Ukraine rating Knyzka Roku (‘Book of the Year’) in the category Educational Literature. A Mathematician Who Turned will also replenish the 150 library funds in seven eastern and southern regions of Ukraine for free. 

I’m only in the third class, so I don’t really know much about Math. But I look forward to having this kind of lessons in school as I had it today. I like counting, I like geometrical figures, shapes, especially a triangle. Mathematics is the most interesting of all the sciences! I did not know before that there are books about mathematics, and now I want to read this book about an ant at home, - said one of the invited children Hanusia.