Dark-haired Uma sits wide-eyed in her backyard under a black, star-studded sky, torn between the charm of her new red shoes and the overwhelming size of the universe. “How many stars were in the sky? A million? A billion? Maybe the number was as big as infinity.” Friends, teachers, and family give Uma new ways to think about infinity—as an endless succession of ancestors, or as a noodle cut in half and in half again (Swiatkowska draws Uma cutting a python-sized noodle with a knife, demonstrating that things can become infinitely small, too). She struggles with the sheer enormity of the idea: “Actually, my head was starting to hurt from all these thoughts.” It’s not until Uma’s grandmother notices her shoes that Uma can make infinity her own: “y love for her was as big as infinity.” Hosford’s (Big Bouffant) story is as much a look into the interior life of a sensitive girl as it is a meditation on a mathematical concept—a task for which Swiatkowska’s (This Baby) idiosyncratic portraits are perfectly suited. Ages 5–10. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Emily Van Beek, Folio Literary Management. (Oct.)

"A stellar artistic vision of the infinite power of intergenerational love." —starred, Kirkus Reviews

02/01/2016
K-Gr 3—A small girl, Uma, ponders infinity while gazing at stars, "How many stars were in the sky? A million? A billion? Maybe the number was as big as infinity." Uma proceeds to ask friends and family how they conceive of infinity. They define it in quantities of numbers, time, music, ancestors—even spaghetti! Finally, she settles on her own measure of infinity, quantified in something that is personal and boundless. Narrator Nancy Wu is accompanied by a full cast of characters, music, and sound effects that complement the text and the book's full-bleed, painted illustrations by Gabi Swiatkowska. Background sound effects include a bicycle bell, the "tinkling" of stars, chattering voices, and churning gears. A sense of wonder is embodied in Wu's narration, the illustrations, and the overall production. The audiobook contains two tracks, one with page turn signals and one without. VERDICT This is an intriguing introduction to a mathematical concept, perfect for those seeking to inspire very young people to wonder about math and science. ["This quiet jewel is sure to spark contemplation and conversation": SLJ 10/12 review of the Carolrhoda book.]—Lisa Taylor, Ocean County Library, NJ

Uma's struggle with the meaning of infinity offers readers a playful, gorgeous introduction to the mathematical concept. When little Uma gazes at the vast night sky and wonders how many stars are there, she asks, "How could I even think about something as big as infinity?" When friends, her grandmother, the school cook and the music teacher offer creative ways of describing infinity, Uma ends up feeling rather overwhelmed. She then realizes that her pondering has made her forget about the new red shoes she'd been so excited about right before her stargazing musings began. Worse yet--no one had noticed her fancy new footwear that day! But after school, Grandma tells her "Uma, I meant to tell you this morning--those are the most beautiful shoes I have ever seen!" and in a joyous spread, Uma glories, "…my love for her was as big as infinity." Then Uma and her grandmother go outside to look at the sky, and "[s]nuggled up to Grandma, the sky didn't seem so huge and cold anymore. Now it was more like a sparkly blanket, covering us both." While Hosford's text deftly evokes the child's voice, Swiatkowska's expressive, lush illustrations steal the show, providing infinite opportunities for readers to examine each and every spread. A stellar artistic vision of the infinite power of intergenerational love. (author's note) (Picture book. 5-8)