Adler, Ruth

Ruth Adler was born April 20, 1915 in Sullivan County, New York. She attended Barnard College and graduated with an A.B. in 1935, and received an M.A. from Hunter College in 1959. Ruth Adler taught mathematics, science, and art in various schools in the New York City area from 1950-1960, and later taught mathematics at Bennington College in Vermont from 1961-1962. She began illustrating her husband and frequent collaborator Irving Alder's books in 1955, and later co-authored a number of books with him and did the illustrations for the bulk of these titles. During the 1950s and 1960s, the Adlers produced many books for children about science and mathematics including their "Reason Why" series of books. These books sought to make "difficult and complex" ideas in science and mathematics understandable to young readers. The Adler's believed that children were interested in science and were capable of grasping complex topics if the information was presented in a "straightforward" and "clear" way. Their work was cited by critics and readers for achieving these aims and helping children appreciate the world of science and mathematics and how both could affect their lives in the rapidly changing world that depends so much on technology. Ruth Adler died on March 30, 1968.