This book informs how commonly fractal patterns are found in nature. For me, learning these concepts in school was very difficult, but this book makes it easier to understand. The visuals also help to reinforce what is learned. The blending of both math and science makes it a great addition to a classroom. ( )

This book shows how fractal patterns are very common in nature. It shows the reader how things like flowers, trees, broccoli, and other natural occurring things. It blends both science and mathematics together to teach readers one way how the two subjects are related. ( )

Mysterious patterns takes a sometimes difficult concept to understand and introduces it in a simple way. This book would be good to use with older students to explain what fractals are and how we see them in nature. This would also be a good way to talk about patterns with students, one of the crosscutting concepts in the NGSS standards.

Fractals were first studied in 1975 by Benoit Mandelbrot. They are shapes we find in nature. They are different from one another, but all have in common the fact of having small parts that look like the whole part. They are self-similar.
We can find them everywhere from tiny leaves veins to massive mountains ranges. We find them even in a lightning and inside our body.
Knowing about fractals helped us to study things that are to small, to big or too complex to study. Fractals help to find order in what looks messy at the first sight.Taking them as an example man has created systems that work in the same way, as Internet wiring and cellphone antennas.
This books explains in a clear way what fractals are, and how they are different from other repetitive patterns in nature and "perfect shapes" man created. It also includes an afterword by Michael Frame, math teacher at Yale University, who worked many years ago with Benoit Mandelbrot.

Age range:6 to 10 years old.

Check out more children's book reviews in my Reviews in Chalk Blog! ( )

Great concept book, clear and concise with excellent visual examples. ( )