ALA Booklist (Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2010)

This book introduces the Fibonacci sequence, which begins 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13. Each new number is determined by adding the two preceding it. The presentation uses color photos of flowers with different numbers of petals to illustrate the beginning of the sequence, follows up with photographs highlighting the different spirals seen on pinecones, sunflowers, and pineapples, and includes a picture showing the chambers in a cut-away nautilus shell. The design of the first series of illustrations graphically expresses the Fibonacci sequence by beginning with very small photos and gradually increasing their size in proportion to the numbers in sequence. The book's intended audience is unclear. The short, simple text on some early pages ("This is a flowering quince. Count the petals.") will probably put off older readers, while young children may have difficulty even predicting the next number in the sequence, much less understanding the appended "More about Fibonacci Numbers" page. Though the Fibonacci sequence is seldom taught in elementary schools, teachers wanting to introduce it will find the basic ideas here, illustrated with attractive photos.

Kirkus Reviews

In nature, the number series called Fibonacci numbers (1,1,2,3,5,8,13...) often appears in the arrangement of petals or spiral patterns in plants and animals. This math-and-science title is another beautiful photo-essay by the creators of Wolfsnail (2008). A spare, simple text introduces the idea that plants carry genetic instructions for their development, often including a mathematical pattern. Readers are engaged in the process of discovering the pattern by the repeated question, "Can you count...?" Beginning with a tiny photo of a seed followed by an equally tiny single-petal flower and then going on with increasingly larger photographs, the design reinforces the concepts of the series and a logarithmic spiral. Spirals in pine cones and pineapples are artificially colored to accentuate the pattern. Pointing out that not all plants and animals exhibit this arrangement, the author concludes by inviting readers to take a closer look outside. The backmatter makes clear that the nautilus-shell curve shown is not quite a golden spiral. This clear demonstration of complex ideas will be welcomed in elementary classrooms. (more about Fibonacci numbers, glossary) (Informational picture book. 5-9 )

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Two picture books explore one of the most famous sequences of numbers. (No, not the ones on <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Lost.)

<REVIEW PUBLISHER=""Reed Business Information-US"" RELEASEDATE=""02/22/2010"" LANGUAGE=""EN"" SECRIGHTS=""YES"" PUBLICATION=""Publishers Weekly"" PUBDATE=""02/22/2010"" VOLUME=""257"" ISSUE=""8"" PAGE=""64"" SECTION=""Reviews"" SUBSECTION=""Children's Books"" CONTENTTYPE=""Review"" AUTHNAME=""Staff"">Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in NatureSarah C. Campbell, photos by Sarah C. and Richard P. Campbell. Boyds Mills, $17.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-59078-752-6

This husband-and-wife team, who collaborated on <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator, turn their attention to the Fibonacci sequence of numbers, employing photographs from nature, basic addition, and reader-directed text to explain it. Beginning with an image of a seed, Campbell moves through the first numbers, adding images of flowers with petals that match Fibonacci numbers (the flowers are set within boxes sized to correspond to the numbers as well). By the time readers reach a yellow cosmos, with eight petals, the flowers take up an entire page, laying visual groundwork for a later representation of the numbers as a spiral. The Campbells also explore more complex appearances of the sequence in nature and note that while Fibonacci popularized these numbers, they had already been known to Indian scholars. Besides being eye-catching, the photographs ought to prove invaluable for visual learners (spiral patterns in a pinecone are darkened for visibility). Kids should be left with a clear understanding of the pattern and curious about its remarkable prevalence in nature. Ages 5–11. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Mar.)

School Library Journal (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Gr 3-6 This slim, attractive volume makes clear the appearance and significance of Fibonacci numbers in nature, both through simple, precise explanations and eye-catching photographs. With plenty of white space and crisp images, the design of the book is appealing. Details about Fibonacci himself, other interesting mathematical concepts such as the "golden ratio," and a glossary are included. With such an obscure topic, this book may have a difficult time finding an audience, but math teachers looking to add an interesting element to a lesson will find this a solid choice, and future mathematicians will be drawn into the magic and mystery of Fibonacci numbers. Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA