Pattern Fish

The author is a teacher who wrote this book to use in the classroom. It is an excellent tool for encouraging kids to become aware of patterns, or rhythms. In a back section titled “About Patterns,” the author and illustrator show clearly the various patterns used in the book. The reader is encouraged to hear, as well as see, the patterns. The simple AB pattern is used in the beginning, featuring a fish that is “yellowblack, yellowblack, yellowblack.” In addition, the frame around the first spread repeats two colors in an AB pattern. The “chompchompmunchmunch” of the sea horse eating seaweed for lunch is an AABB pattern as is the frame around the illustration. The amusing illustrations of the various sea creatures, including a smiling octopus moving along with a “stretchspurtglide” and a jellyfish maneuvering through the waves with a “wigglejigglejigglefloat” will, along with the rhythmic text, make this book popular with young learners.