At Mr. and Mrs. Hilbert’s Hotel Infinity, the concept of Numbers reigns supreme. In Ivar Ekeland’s delightful book, The Cat in Numberland, we are invited to explore a world where the residents are Numbers, both Odds and Evens. The clever feline protagonist watches curiously as the hotel becomes more and more crowded with guests, some characters expected, others not so much. The plot soon thickens as Zero shows up, leading to a dramatic reshuffling of everyone’s accommodations.
And then the Letters arrive, and despite their inability to generate any definitive values, everyone still has a place to stay. But when the Fractions demand their rightful rooms, the hotel’s capacity comes under serious threat. This charming tale is a mathematician’s delight, presenting a creative and thought-provoking exploration of Numberland which will have readers of all ages reaching for their calculators.
