Exploring Nature's Pattern Magic by Dee and Mike Pigneguy (Mary Egan Publishing)

Although Elsewhere isn't here for children we do acknowledge they exist. (They are the small human-like creatures that I am forced to stop for outside schools, right?)

Anyway from time to time-- especially when Robin Nathan releases an album -- we like to throw the spotlight on something for the kids.

And this book came our way which -- although visually very busy -- looks like it would hold great appeal for those between about eight and 12 (or more correctly their parents or people who would buy it for them).

With an introduction by bugman Ruud Kleipaste, it explores pattersn in Nature such as branching, cracking, nets, spheres, ovals and so on, with explanations of why those things happen. And of course with visual examples.

So the smart young ones will learn that an oval shape, for example, helps distribute the stress of gravity and gives strength to the structure (seashells, tomatoes, eggs) and what tesselations are (fish scales, a peacock's tail feathers).

Towards the end there is a page on camouflage and another on how people use Nature's patterns in art and construction.

And usefully there are pages of some practical exercises and ideas to get the kids out in the garden, looking down a telescope or simply observing the world around them more closely.

This is all good stuff. And very colorful!

For further information see here.