Discover the Hidden Geometry of the Natural World in This Stunning STEM Picture Book! From swirling seashells to spotted fur, nature is bursting with repeating shapes and mesmerizing patterns—and this beautifully illustrated book helps children ages 6–9 uncover them all. Shapes and Patterns in Nature invites young readers on a visual journey through the natural world, revealing how waves, dots, spirals, stripes, and stars appear in everything from animals and plants to minerals and landscapes. Whether it’s a heart-shaped leaf, a starfish, or the camouflage patterns that help creatures survive, each page is packed with fascinating facts and vibrant artwork that make learning feel like an adventure. Shapes and Patterns in Nature is a celebration of nature’s hidden wonders—and a powerful tool for sparking curiosity and learning. STEM Learning Made Beautiful – Introduces early geometry and pattern recognition through real-world examples in nature. - Supports Visual Thinking & Observation Skills – Encourages kids to look closely and think critically about the world around them. - Perfect for Curious Minds – Ideal for classrooms, homeschoolers, and nature-loving families. - Award-Winning Series – Part of the Nature’s Wonderful Colors collection, selected by the Wall Street Journal as one of the “Best Picture Books for Kids.” - Great Gift for Budding Scientists & Artists – Inspires creativity and appreciation for the beauty of nature’s design. For over 75 years, Albatros Media has been crafting original and innovative children's books that are both playful and educational, fostering curiosity and a thirst for knowledge in young minds. We deliver the highest quality children’s books from novelty, picture, pop-up, and how-to books, to non-fiction, and fairy tale books. Gr 3-5-With a title like Shapes and Patterns in Nature and a prelude spread describing in text and visuals how nature is full of look-a-likes and repetition (e.g., ocean waves and sand waves), readers might expect gorgeous natural drawings to be grouped by shapes and patterns. Instead they are organized by type of thing; there is a spread on leaves, another on tree bark, and another on fur and hair. The idea of pattern and shape repetition is revisited in the final spread, which organizes columns of drawings by pattern (such as wavy, dotted, branched) and shape (e.g., heart, star, spiral), and the author suggests that readers flip back through the book to find more elements for the headings. The drawings are undeniably lovely, and this could be a solid reference text for an art classroom, but it would be a very unlikely candidate for library borrowing. VERDICT A beautiful coffee table book, but not a necessary purchase for a school library.-Mallory Weberα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. "I can't think of any shape book that has such extensive illustrations, and this can't be beat for attractive design or number of examples." ―Karen Yingling, YA Books Central "Beautiful illustrations. Tons of information on each page without information overload. A good quick reference." ―Debbie Buck, Vintage Books "I would recommend this book for the beautiful illustrations alone. Patrons will enjoy looking at the images. There is so much on each page that it can be reread over and over." ―Amanda B., Librarian "The illustrations are very well done as well as beautiful. I believe this is a book that can be enjoyed by readers of any age, whether just looking at the pictures or truly studying them." ―NetGalley-Educator "This one is such a visual treat! It is absolutely lovely and includes so many details to discuss and marvel over. There are two more books in this line that are similarly lovely: Colors in Nature and Colors in Habitats. They make for unique coffee table books and add such cool flair to any collection of STEM books for kids." ―The Kid Lit Mama Blog Jana Sedlackova is a children’s book author who graduated from the School of Textile Design and Management. In her free time, she enjoys singing in choirs and decorating gingerbread during Christmastime. Her work is driven by the belief that everyone is searching for the perfect fairytale. She hails from Brno, Czech Republic. Stepanka Sekaninova used to work as a TV reporter and in the production of children’s programs. Now she is a writer and an editor-in-chief, living in the Czech Republic. Magdalena Konecna illustrated her first book when she was only 17 years old. Her main sources of inspiration are her dreams and travels and the natural world. You can find her pictures on greeting cards and in notebooks, as well as in various publications. She lives and works in the Czech Republic. Prelude/Leaves/Tree bark/Flowers/Fruits & vegetables/Nuts & seeds/Shells/Insect wings & shards/Fish fins & scales/Skin & carapaces/Bird wings & feathers/Fur & Hair/Minerals & crystals/Parade of shapes & patterns
