Wild Fibonacci: Joy Hulme

Wild Fibonacci

Joy Hulme’s Wild Fibonacci: Nature’s Secret Code Revealed is delightfully different from other books on the subject because Hulme does not merely describe animals’ body parts and shapes which resemble the Fibonacci Spiral, she focuses upon teaching the reader about how these specifically shaped body parts are helpful for ensuring the animals’ survival. Providing a little bit of background on Fibonacci and the Fibonacci sequence, the equiangular spiral, and the golden rectangle, Hulme then mentions many other places her readers can find the Fibonacci sequence – plants, fruits, trees, and even the cosmos; but her text focuses upon animals. She shares with us how these particular creatures “have a certain body part which fits the winding, coiling shape that spirals” in such a way as to be more helpful to them in finding food and fighting foes. Among these are the tusks of the walrus and the elephant, the curving teeth of alligators and crocodiles, the curling claws of leopards and tigers, and the talons of eagles and red-tailed hawks.

With an abab rhyme scheme, the short and simple lines about the Fibonacci features on these Fibonacci creatures are whimsical and fun to read for readers age eight and above.

Be sure to check out the charming surprise found at the very end, where Hulme dedicates the book to the “Fibonacci numbers” in her family.

The vibrant, detailed illustrations by Carol Schwartz are very attractive, for her well-proportioned creatures all have friendly expressions as they go about their routines in realistically-portrayed natural environments.

About Joy Hulme

Joy N. Hulme graduated from USAC (now Utah State University) as an Education major specializing in art, biology and speech. She enjoys nature in all its forms while living in a hillside home in Monte Sereno, California. Since her first book, A Stable in Bethlehem, was published in 1989, she has had about a couple dozen other books published: rhyming picture books, how to write, historical novels, pop-ups, math/science concept books, and learn-to-read books. They are perfect for supplementary reading material in classrooms covering math, science, history, language or social studies. Two of her historical novels were written for ages 8-12: Through the Open Door and Climbing the Rainbow (2000, 2004). https://www.joynhulme.com/

About Carol Schwartz

Carol Schwartz (Illustrator) graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute and earned her MFA in Illustration from the University of Hartford, Connecticut in 2014. Her illustrations – which focus on science and nature – appear in 60 picture books and countless magazines, newspapers and advertisements.

Her illustrations are found in My Busy Green Garden, a Tilbury House Nature Book written by Terry Pierce, and Sea Squares, written by Joy Hulme (1991), which was selected as an Outstanding Science Trade Book by the National Science Teachers Association and the Children’s Book Council. The Maiden of Northland, written by Aaron Shepard, was chosen as an Aesop Accolade List book, and Thinking about Ants, written by Barbara Brenner, became an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children. http://www.csillustration.com/

Hulme, Joy N. (Author); Carol Schwartz (Illustrator). Wild Fibonacci: Nature’s Secret Code Revealed. Tricycle Press, 2010.