Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature

Author: Sarah C. Campbell

Illustrator: Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell

Peach’s Picks Rating:

Year of publication: 2010

City of publication: Honesdale, PA

Publisher: Boyds Mills Press

ISBN: 978-1-59078-752-6

Author website: http://www.sarahccampbell.com/

Illustrator website: No website available

Media used for illustrations: full-color photographs

Annotation: Provides a straightforward, simple introduction and explanation of Fibonacci number patterns found in nature. Glossy, colorful photographs are used to clarify concepts. Backmatter and a glossary are included.

Personal reaction to the book: This is a simple, succinct photo-essay style picturebook using nature photographs to explain the concept of Fibonacci number patterns. The full-color photographs are crisp and beautifully placed on a page surrounded by white. This design makes the book especially useful for visual learning. The illustrations provide visual clues that extend the text. The text is easy to read and clearly printed using 20-point Minion font. The simple text makes the concept of Fibonacci numbers easy to grasp. However, there is a slight disconnected between the simplicity of the text and the complexity of the concept. The text reads at a 2^nd-3^rd grade level, but the concept of Fibonacci numbers usually is not introduced to students until secondary school. Educators of younger students might use this book to supplement and extend the mathematics or science curriculum especially with learners who have mastered curricular content and seek a challenge or enrichment. Educators of secondary students looking for a simple means to explain Fibonacci numbers will find the book useful. The photographs invite readers to interact and count petals, spirals, etc. I suggest that a full photo of the plants in the illustrations be included in endnotes as readers may not be familiar with a peace lily or a crown of thorns. This information could be presented as a photo glossary. A helpful text glossary is included at the end of the book. Very interesting endnotes are also included providing “More About Fibonacci Numbers.” The book is paginated which is always helpful when referencing information. The word “Fibonacci” is introduced on page 16. Immediately following is a phonetic pronunciation of the word; a helpful tool for readers. After reading this book students might be challenged to look for other Fibonacci numbers in nature. This book is probably used more efficiently with smaller groups rather than large groups. Smaller groups will be able to see the pictures, count the patterns, and have an in-depth discussion of the concept.

General curricular connections:

• Math
• Science

Specific example of curricular connection matched to State Standards:
Subject: Mathematics
Grade level: 10-11

Standards:

K-12 California’s Common Core Content Standards for Mathematics

Mathematics Standards for High School

Algebra

Functions

Interpreting Functions

Understand the concept of a function and use function notation

3. Recognize that sequences are functions, sometimes defined recursively, whose domain is a subset of the integers. For example, the Fibonacci sequence is defined recursively by f(0) = f(1) = 1, f(n+1) = f(n) + f(n-1) for n ≥ 1.

Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 3-6

Booklist recommends this book for use with grades 2-5

Peach’s Picks recommends this book for use with grades 4 and up

Awards/Recognitions:

Horn Book starred review

ALA Notable Children's Books for Middle Readers, 2011

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12, Unifying Concepts and Processes in Science, 2011

Note: This entry applies to the assignment criteria to review books published during 2010-2011.

Repetition: Photographs shown throughout the entire book repeat examples of Fibonacci patterns found in nature.

Book cover picture retrieved from
http://www.sarahccampbell.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=88