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Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature Hardcover – Picture Book, October 4, 2011
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A Caldecott medalist and a Newbery Honor-winning poet celebrate the beauty and value of spirals.What makes the tiny snail shell so beautiful? Why does that shape occur in nature over and over again—in rushing rivers, in a flower bud, even inside your ear?
With simplicity and grace, Joyce Sidman's poetry paired with Beth Krommes's scratchboard illustrations not only reveal the many spirals in nature—from fiddleheads to elephant tusks, from crashing waves to spiraling galaxies—but also celebrate the beauty and usefulness of this fascinating shape.
- Print length40 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade levelPreschool - 3
- Lexile measureAD510L
- Dimensions9.25 x 0.38 x 9.25 inches
- PublisherClarion Books
- Publication dateOctober 4, 2011
- ISBN-10054731583X
- ISBN-13978-0547315836
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"The open-ended quality of the verse and the visual nature of the subject create plenty of opportunities for the art. The striking scratchboard illustrations use black lines, shapes, and crosshatched shading on white backgrounds to create strong compositions, while watercolor washes add subtle warmth and brilliance. . .There are, of course, many school uses for this, but just reading it aloud at home will make the everyday fascinating."—Booklist, starred review "The observations, from a few words to a couple sentences, are tucked neatly into Krommes’s gorgeous scratchboard spreads."—School Library Journal, starred review "Exquisitely simple and memorable."—Kirkus, starred review "From the endpapers that gather together all the spirals depicted to the spiraling text on the title page verso, this book is elegantly constructed, and as poetry, picture book, or nonfiction, a success in every way."—The Horn Book, starred review "This is one of those rare children’s books that make you look at the physical world differently. . .spirals are beautiful—whether we see in them hints of infinity, the promise of unfolding potential, or the embodiment of mathematical perfection."—Publishers Weekly, starred review —
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Clarion Books; Illustrated edition (October 4, 2011)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 40 pages
- ISBN-10 : 054731583X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0547315836
- Reading age : 2 - 4 years, from customers
- Lexile measure : AD510L
- Grade level : Preschool - 3
- Item Weight : 12.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 9.25 x 0.38 x 9.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #120,399 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #107 in Children's Size & Shape Books
- #251 in Children's Environment Books (Books)
- #420 in Poetry for Early Learning
- Customer Reviews:
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About the author

Joyce Sidman is known for her fresh, inventive poetry for children. Her award-winning books include Song of the Water Boatman and Red Sings from Treetops (both Caldecott Honor Books), and Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night, for which she won a Newbery Honor Award. Her books have been translated into several languages. A recent starred review said, "Sidman's ear is keen, capturing many voices. Her skill as a poet accessible to young people is unmatched." Born in Connecticut, USA, Joyce now lives in the midwestern state of Minnesota, where she teaches poetry-writing to children. Visit her at www.joycesidman.com.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2019
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The content of the books she illustrates is lovely, too. Often nature-based, always calming and perfect for bedtime. Can't recommend enough!
PROS:
- The art work is gorgeous. Images are rendered in unusually dark colors for a children’s book. The effect is just stunning.
- The book provides an interesting introduction to nature. Spirals are a part of nature, of course, but we get to see some animals children will often read about (mice, chipmunks, snails) and some they will rarely encounter (bull snake, octopus, spider monkey).
- Animals and natural phenomena are unobtrusively labeled in small print.
- Without mentioning math, this book is teaching an aspect of math.
CONS:
- I believe there is an error on the final page spread. The words “eastern gray squirrel” appear, but I believe the image of the squirrel was accidentally omitted from the page.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 10, 2019
PROS:
- The art work is gorgeous. Images are rendered in unusually dark colors for a children’s book. The effect is just stunning.
- The book provides an interesting introduction to nature. Spirals are a part of nature, of course, but we get to see some animals children will often read about (mice, chipmunks, snails) and some they will rarely encounter (bull snake, octopus, spider monkey).
- Animals and natural phenomena are unobtrusively labeled in small print.
- Without mentioning math, this book is teaching an aspect of math.
CONS:
- I believe there is an error on the final page spread. The words “eastern gray squirrel” appear, but I believe the image of the squirrel was accidentally omitted from the page.





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