The Big Book of Pi: The Famous Number You Can Never Know - Jean-Baptiste Aubin - ★★★★★

AUTHOR: Jean-Baptiste Aubin

GENRE: Maths

PUBLICATION DATE: February 3, 2026

RATING: 5 stars!

In a Nutshell: Exactly as the title states. A big book of everything pi. Fascinating and hilarious. Not at all dry. Totally enjoyed this book. If only math textbooks were like this!

If someone had told me in my school years that I would relish a book about that infernal concept called pi π, I would have laughed right in their face! Not that I didn’t enjoy maths, but so many geometrical formulae involved the use of pi that it became a bugbear. I wish such a book had existed in my childhood.

Pi is known to be one of the most enigmatic concepts in mathematics, even when humans (with the aid of computers) have unfurled its decimals to much more than practically necessary. This book seeks to shatter the dread surrounding this concept without sounding like a school textbook, and it is VERY successful in this endeavour.

The uniqueness of the approach is that the content is almost conversational despite being so clearly mathematical. Two animal characters, Pi-Rat the rat who likes asking questions and Little Horsey PiPi the horse who loves numbers, are our guides through this journey. They address little readers directly in their dialogues and explanations, which might help children feel more involved in the reading process.

The book begins with a simple introduction to the concept of pi and what makes it special. It then moves through the history of the origin and development of this infamous irrational number, right from the ancient era to the computer age.

The above sounds dry and boring. On the contrary, this section offered me the most fun I have had while reading a maths book! The approach towards every single concept is so simple that even those who struggle with maths would be able to have better clarity on the essence and importance of pi. The concepts are balanced with an ample dose of humour, which further helps keep things easy-going.

I appreciate how there are definitions provided for all complicated terms at the bottom of the same page, even though there is a separate glossary at the end. Having the meaning within sight is always helpful.

The book doesn’t stop at just answering all factual questions about pi. The second section is called ‘Fun with Pi’, which is just outstanding. In all honesty, it might be a bit too challenging for the mathematically-challenged, but we geeks thrive on such content.

Throughout the book, there are plenty of titbits about how pi is ‘cool’ and several riddles and one-liners about pi delivered by Pi-Rat and Little Horsey PiPi. There are even thought-provoking math-related quotes by famous mathematicians and thinkers from across the ages.

Every page of the book comes with a wonderful balance of text and illustrations. All concepts are demonstrated through the graphics, making the explanation super-duper-easy to visualise. The colour tone is kept very basic with just three pastel colours. Thus, though vital to our understanding, the graphics are never distracting.

There’s a special Easter Egg in the Table Of Contents. Don’t miss it.

On the whole, this book was a fabulous reading experience for me. It went far beyond what I had anticipated, and in making a complex concept so approachable and understandable, it truly busted the myth that all math books are boring.

Much recommended to aspiring mathematicians. Maybe even to math-phobes (as long as they avoid the ‘Prove It’ section, else they will break out in a nervous sweat. The authors have anyway made it clear that this section is optional.) The book would be perfect for all readers aged 9 and above. Official target age – 9 to 12 years.

Parting with a dad joke from me to you.

How many stars should such a clever book on Pi get?

‘Pi’ve stars.

My thanks to Publisher Spotlight and Helvetiq for providing the DRC of “The Big Book of Pi” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.