A fictionalized look (in spite of the CIP designation) at Pythagoras as he discovers his famous theorem. He is depicted as a curious boy who travels with his father from Samos to Alexandria, where he meets a builder named Neferheperhersekeper, who introduces him to the right angle. He begins to experiment, observing and noting the fixed and unvarying mathematical nature of triangles--right triangles, to be precise. The cartoon illustrations capture the dress, homes, and sailing ships in a warm and clear palette. Ellis includes delightful puns for those who are keen on wordplay. Sticklers be warned: there is lots of dialogue, but in the context of the story, it works well and helps to explain the math. This clear and interesting explanation of the theorem is a wonderful read.
-- School Library Journal, October 2004

As young Pythagoras learns about temple architecture and shipping routes in ancient Greece, he discovers how to accurately measure the sides of a right triangle. This handsomely illustrated explanation of the Pythagorean Theorem will resonate most with readers who are already aware of the equation.
-- Book Links, November 2004

Introduce students ages 7-12 to the Pythagorean Theorem with What's Your Angle, Pythagoras?. Young Pythagoras can't seem to stay out of trouble. Every time he tries to help, people get angry. But on a trip to Egypt, Pythagoras' curiosity helps him discover the secret of the right triangle.
-- NSTA Reports, January 2005

Information about the childhood of the musician, astronomer, philosopher, and mathematician Pythagoras is unknown. But that doesn't stop Ellis from imagining events that might have led to his discoveries. It's reasonable to assume the boy must have had an active, inquiring mind--a curiosity about the way the world works. So, this story has Pythagoras trying to figure out how to build bases to support columns that will be straight rather than the crooked ones he has seen; knotting and manipulating ropes to make triangles with different angles; discovering through experimentation the formula for a right triangle; and then using that formula to figure distances. Readers will remember practical applications of the Pythagorean Theorem and might begin thinking about what circumstances other famous people encountered as children that could have led to the way they thought and behaved.