Erno Rubik and His Magic Cube

March 15, 2024
Ernő Rubik grows from a solitary but curious, puzzle-loving child into a determined adult. Born in Budapest in 1944, Ernő liked to manipulate shapes, playing with "tangrams, pentominoes, and pentacubes"--all depicted in the art. He appreciated nature, too, and as he grew up, he studied architecture and art and became a teacher. While building models to help his students learn about three-dimensional shapes, he became intrigued by cubes: "Would it be possible to build a big cube out of smaller cubes that moved around each other and stayed connected?" He started with eight cubes, attaching them with paper clips and rubber bands. That didn't work, but he persevered and subsequently devised the 26-cube model. But how to hold it together? Ernő was inspired when he observed a rushing river moving around smooth pebbles. Similarly, his small cubes could move around a fixed mechanical center--and finally, he added colors on each side. Ernő was just 29 when he invented the Rubik's Cube in 1974; more than a billion people would eventually play with his toy. The straightforward narrative ends with backmatter noting that Rubik didn't intend to create a puzzle, and when he realized what it was, it took him a month to solve it. The bright, na�ve collage artwork is quirky and inventive: Rubik's head is sometimes cubic, and perspective is at times skewed. A whimsical tribute to the maker of the famous, frustrating, and absorbing puzzle. (author's note, resources) (Picture-book biography. 4-8)

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April 1, 2024
Grades K-3 Though not big on biographical details, this tribute to the inventor of a puzzle with worldwide sales of more than 450 million does capture a strong sense of how much hard work he put into its conception and construction. Even as a child in Budapest, Ern� loved playing with puzzles, mechanical gadgets, and geometric shapes. Kramer's illustrations reflect this fascination by incorporating lots of small squares, grids, cubes, and tessellated patterns into scenes of the solitary child growing into a solitary, abstracted young man pursuing his idea through false starts and multiple failures on the way to the successful 1974 widget he called a Magic Cube ("Bűv�s Kocka"). The illustrator does slip a photo of Rubik into a final painted gathering of young twisters and turners, and Aradhya closes with brief additional comments about his life, along with fascinating numerical facts about the Rubik's Cube itself and its subsequent history.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 15, 2024
Growing up in Budapest, Erno˝ Rubik (b. 1944) was a studious kid with a passion for puzzles, patterns, and playing with geometric shapes. “Tangrams, pentominoes, and pentacubes helped him imagine all the possibilities,” writes debut author Aradhya in a brisk, reportorial style. As an adult teacher who’d studied art and architecture, he developed three-dimensional models to use as classroom aids and wondered about building “a big cube out of smaller cubes that moved around each other and stayed connected.” Following the puzzle-like creation of what would become the Rubik’s Cube, Kramer uses sketch-like mixed-media images to break down the process, vividly capturing the serendipity, setbacks, and grit that eventually get Rubik to “twenty-six little cubes and one round mechanical core.” Even readers who find the invention more maddening than “magic” should be captivated by this tale of imagination, tenacity, and a global phenomenon that’s still going strong. More information and an author’s note conclude. Ages 4–8.

July 1, 2024
Growing up in Budapest, young Erno Rubik (b. 1944) was fascinated by shapes and puzzles and loved "imagin[ing] all the possibilities" offered by manipulating "tangrams, pentominoes, and pentacubes." In this inviting picture-book biography, debut author Aradhya introduces readers to the figure behind the eponymous cube, first developed in 1974. Rubik became a teacher and continued to be passionate about cubes, which he used to teach students about three-dimensionality. His quest to "build a big cube out of smaller cubes that moved around each other and stayed connected" is the focus of the accessible text, which emphasizes curiosity, perseverance, and learning from failure as keys to success. (And sometimes the answer comes when we "stop thinking about" a problem.) Kramer's (Tell Me a Lion Story, rev. 7/22) intriguing mixed-media and digital-collage illustrations bring playfulness and energy to the fore; for example, Rubik's head is cube-shaped when he's focused on figuring out his geometric and mechanical conundrum. The lively page design includes a variety of panel, single-page, and spot-art illustrations; lots of child-friendly details in the art and text should hold readers' interest. Appended with more about Rubik's "Magic Cube" (including the fact that he didn't set out to create a puzzle, nor is he an expert solver), "By the Numbers" (e.g., "43 quintillion ways to scramble it...but only 1 solution!"), an author's note about her own Cubing experiences, and a three-book list for more about the inadvertent puzzle master. Kitty Flynn

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

October 18, 2024

K-Gr 3-In this picture book biography, Aradhya seamlessly introduces readers to the inventor of one of the most popular toys in history. Erno Rubik, born in Budapest in 1944, was a quiet child who loved to spend time with his blocks, puzzles, and shapes and spent endless hours imagining the possibilities of what their combinations could create. As an adult, Rubik studied art and architecture and became a teacher, all the while remaining curious about three-dimensional structures, particularly cubes. Many rounds of development followed, some of which featured rubber bands and paper clips, as Rubik attempted to construct a connected cube made of smaller ones. Days passed and the mathematician took a fateful stroll through the streets of Budapest, where he stopped to admire the Danube, taking time to appreciate the way the river moved around the small pebbles in the river. Aradhya's text is engaging and straightforward, emphasizing the importance of determination and curiosity. The mixed-media illustrations are equally engrossing, filled with eye-catching details that complement the narrative. Back matter includes additional facts about the cultural impact of the cube as well as an author's note. VERDICT This insightful and inspiring look at the mind behind a puzzle that is now a familiar favorite is a worthwhile addition to library collections.-Olivia Gorecke

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2024
Growing up in Budapest, young Erno Rubik (b. 1944) was fascinated by shapes and puzzles and loved "imagin�ing] all the possibilities" offered by manipulating "tangrams, pentominoes, and pentacubes." In this inviting picture-book biography, debut author Aradhya introduces readers to the figure behind the eponymous cube, first developed in 1974. Rubik became a teacher and continued to be passionate about cubes, which he used to teach students about three-dimensionality. His quest to "build a big cube out of smaller cubes that moved around each other and stayed connected" is the focus of the accessible text, which emphasizes curiosity, perseverance, and learning from failure as keys to success. (And sometimes the answer comes when we "stop thinking about" a problem.) Kramer's (Tell Me a Lion Story, rev. 7/22) intriguing mixed-media and digital-collage illustrations bring playfulness and energy to the fore; for example, Rubik's head is cube-shaped when he's focused on figuring out his geometric and mechanical conundrum. The lively page design includes a variety of panel, single-page, and spot-art illustrations; lots of child-friendly details in the art and text should hold readers' interest. Appended with more about Rubik's "Magic Cube" (including the fact that he didn't set out to create a puzzle, nor is he an expert solver), "By the Numbers" (e.g., "43 quintillion ways to scramble it...but only 1 solution!"), an author's note about her own Cubing experiences, and a three-book list for more about the inadvertent puzzle master.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)