Stevie Lewis

The Queen of Chess: How Judit Polgar Changed the Game

This is the true story of how Judit Polgár captivated the world as she battled to become the youngest chess grandmaster in history!

"I was at both events where Judit got her first IM norm (I drew her in the last round) and her last GM norm, and I was fortunate enough to play her a few times in the late 80s and early 90s. Judit was already stronger than me when she was 12 years old. She was a great attacking player and great tactician. Simply said, Judit is one of the greatest players of all time. This book is beautifully written and illustrated and will delight children who already play chess and will intrigue those yet to learn the beautiful game." - GM Ben Finegold

"If there's one person that has inspired more girls to play chess, it is Judit Polgár, and thanks to these fantastic illustrations, many young chess players will get to see her fearlessness and determination in her formative years. Judit remains one of the most important people in scholastic chess and growth of the game, and getting her to see her as a girl and her most impressive moves is a winning combo for any aspiring young player." - FM Mike Klein, aka FunMasterMike of ChessKid.com

"Dispelling the notion that women are inferior chess players, this biographical picture book spotlights a triumphant child/heroine." -Booklist

"Polgár was a girl who loved swimming, cracking jokes, and spending time with her sisters, even as she was becoming a rising star in the chess world. The picture book style of the biography turns the story into something of a fairy tale." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

The queen of chess, Judit Polgár, dazzled the world as a prodigy, winning tournaments, gold medals, and defeating eleven world champions, including Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen. At her peak, Judit was rated the eighth best chess player in the world.

But before these tremendous successes, Judit burst onto the chess scene as a ferocious, child competitor. Beating adults by five-years-old, and winning international tournaments by age nine, Judit was destined for greatness. Follow her incredible journey as she strives for chess immortality, hunting to become the youngest chess grandmaster in history.

From Booklist

From the intriguing jacket art onward, viewers will be drawn to the many moods expressed in Lewis' handsome, occasionally amusing illustrations. Wallmark, whose previous picture-book biographies include Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine (2015) and Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code (2017), has a knack for making her subjects accessible to kids. Dispelling the notion that women are inferior chess players, this biographical picture book spotlights a triumphant child/heroine.

From The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

The charming, chalk-like digital illustrations show a girl with a passion and focus on her craft, displaying how ordinary her life was outside of the world of competitive chess playing. Polgár was a girl who loved swimming, cracking jokes, and spending time with her sisters, even as she was becoming a rising star in the chess world. The picture book style of the biography turns the story into something of a fairy tale.

Amazon Reviews

Judit Polgar was an amazing child chess prodigy who grew up to be one of the world’s most important chess players of all time. This story introduces us to Judit at age 5, when she first learned to play chess. She soon came to love chess so much that she and two sisters would spend five or six hours each day solving chess puzzles. In fact, Judit barely made time for meals, so she could get back to the chess board. As she grew older, she won tournament after tournament until she became the youngest chess grandmaster at the age of 15.

This engaging story, with bold illustrations that bring the story to life, will be an inspiration to all who read it. Not only does this picture book biography introduce us to Judit’s life in chess, but it also shows us her family life, her school life and her hobbies. The reader gains an understanding that Judit, though very serious about chess, also has a life away from chess. My two nephews, ages 4 and 5 are avid chess players. I’m eager to share Judit’s story with them, to show them what’s possible.

Finally, the back matter has an excellent timeline and a description of the mathematics of chess. Many thanks to blue slip media for sharing this STEM biography. -RCR

This nonfiction picture book chronicles the life of Judit Polgar, an inquisitive and curious child who began playing chess at the age of five and became a Grand Master of the game at fifteen. You don’t have to be chess master to enjoy this informative and entertaining peek into the world of chess and what it takes to become a champion. Highly recommended. -DJ

Amazon Reviews

This is an artful and inspiring account of the woman who deserves that title on the world stage. The art by Stevie Lewis gives Judit the royal treatment from her earliest ages through each stage of life and on every page of competition or daily life. The illustrator captures the intensity and masterful mind behind this queen, one whose power of anaylsis, study, memory, psychology, and courage match the undeniable strength of the queen-piece on a chess board. Lewis also uses scene and image details to inform and explore the era of the late 2000's, as well as life in a seemingly typical Budapest apartment with a loving family.
Author Laurie Wallmark has gained well-deserved acclaim for her thorough research and recounting of many noted women in math and science, some well-know and some lesser-known, including SOPHIE KOWALEVSKI, THE QUEEN OF MATHEMATICS (reviewed here), CODE BREAKER, SPY HUNTER, (reviewed here), and GRACE HOPPER, QUEEN OF COMPUTER CODES (here) among other wonderful picture books, with more to come.

Wallmark's efficient and informative text captures the clarity of focus and high expectations Judit felt, powered by her own curiosity and competitive nature but also revealing the warmth of her chess-mastering siblings and parents. Just when I was wondering if perhaps her singular concentration on chess success might have been isolating, Wallmark and Lewis reveal her wide-ranging interests and playful approaches to the game she loved and mastered.

It is no spoiler to note that Judit achieved her goals, becoming national champion, and also the youngest chess grandmaster at that time, defeating long-reigning Bobby Fischer. Wallmark's back matter is a worthy read, providing a dated timeline/lifeline for Judit (still alive) and also a simple introduction to the basics of a chess board and how it relates to mathematical thinking. She makes the case in very few words that chess players and mathematicians share many thinking attributes and analytical skills, not to mention high level and social/emotional skills. -SB

How does a young woman become the youngest chess grandmaster at age fifteen? Laurie Wallmark brilliantly chronicles Judit Polgar’s determination and competitiveness. She started playing chess at age five and worked tirelessly to memorize the patterns of the pieces. She and her sister even played blindfold chess. They didn’t look at the board but announced their moves to each other. Thus, they had to keep in their heads the positions of all the pieces. The illustrations by Stevie Lewis capture Judit’s intensity in each game of chess she played. The Queen of Chess is a fascinating book about an amazing chess player! -Ellen