The Horn Book Guide

SCIENCE

Campbell, Sarah C.

Mysterious Patterns: Finding Fractals in Nature

32 pp. | Boyds | April, 2014 | Trade ISBN 978-1-62091-627-8 $16.95

(2) K-3 Photographs by Sarah C. Campbell & Richard P. Campbell. Here's a clear, fluid, concise introduction to fractals, identified in 1975 by scientist Benoit Mandelbrot, who noticed that the shapes of trees, broccoli, and ferns share a common pattern: each has "smaller parts that look like the whole shape." Well-designed pages feature crisp, up-close photographs, which pair perfectly with the accessible text. Includes an activity and an afterword by a Mandelbrot colleague. Glos.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2014