Shapes in Math, Science and Nature

April 1, 2014
Grades 4-7 This bountiful compendium brings together three colorful books originally published separately in paperback: Circles (1993), Triangles (1994), and Squares (1996). Each section leads off with a close-up look at its subject using a geometric figure with arrows pointing to nearby terms and definitions. The section on squares includes square numbers, square-based optical illusions, cubes in architecture, and instructions for making a tangram. The next section includes a wide assortment of triangle-related topics, from the Egyptian pyramids to the Bermuda Triangle, from bridge construction to fractals. Similarly, the third section explores circles and spheres as well as concepts such as pi and Fibonacci numbers. Ink drawings with watercolor washes brighten each page and clarify the concepts and explanations in the text. Precise yet playful in approach, this book supplies a good deal of basic information while entertaining readers with short narratives, challenges, and hands-on activities. An engaging introduction to basic geometry.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)