It was a big weekend for Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature. On Friday, I started the day as a guest on The Gestalt Gardener, a radio show on Mississippi Public Broadcasting hosted by Felder Rushing. We talked about the book and getting kids excited about the natural world, math, and gardening. I am a longtime listener to Felder’s show so I was familiar with its rhythms; Felder fielded about 8 calls and we fit our conversation in around them. The show was re-broadcast the next morning, which coincided with our signing at Lemuria. Many of our guests at the signing told us they had heard the show. I thank Felder and Ezra Wall, the show’s producer, for having me.

Lots of friends, old and new, came out for the signing, which began during Lemuria’s regular Saturday story hour. (Thank you, Patty, for taking photographs.) One attendee, named Kimberly, brought along an observation she wrote after spending some time talking about Fibonacci numbers and pinecones with her grandmother. (Her grandmother had heard the Gestalt Gardener show.)

Today is the reading and signing party at Lemuria. We’re looking forward to seeing young readers and their grownups at 10 a.m. for some Fibonacci fun!

After being on a blog tour all week (thanks to all of the hosts), we have the featured attraction right here. I interviewed Richard about his unique contribution to Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature.

This is the fun portrait I took of him when we were doing our publicity photo shoot. The powers that be at the publishing house wanted a straight (faced) shot for the catalog so I decided we’d use it here.

Today’s fifth stop on the blog book tour is on Dori Reads, written by my writer friend Doraine Bennett. She asked me about using Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature in classrooms with students of different ages.

We’re nearing the end of the blog book tour; I thank everyone who hosted and followed along. Tomorrow, the day of our book launch at Lemuria, I will post an interview with my oft-silent co-photographer, Richard Campbell.

Our tour included stops at Writing Snacks, Teaching Authors, Joseph D’Agnese’s Blog, Live. Love. Explore., Elizabeth O. Dulemba’s Blog, and My Log Cabin Life.

Today, the blog tour continues at My Log Cabin Life by Julie Owen. Because Julie and I share a passion for photography, today’s post centers on the images.

If you missed previous posts, check them out at:

Monday: Joseph D’Agnese’s blog.

Tuesday: Live. Love Explore. by Irene Latham.

Wednesday: Elizabeth O. Dulemba’s blog.

Tommorrow’s post will be at Dori Reads by Doraine Bennett.

Read about how I got the idea to write a picture book featuring Fibonacci Numbers in nature at today’s stop on the virtual book tour: Elizabeth O. Dulemba’s blog. An author and illustrator, Elizabeth has a lot of cool stuff on her website so poke around a little after you check out the post.

Monday’s stop: Joseph D’Agnese. Tuesday’s stop: Irene Latham.

I am pleased to report that Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature received a favorable review in Kirkus. “This math-and-science title is another beautiful photo-essay by the creators of Wolfsnail (2008). … This clear demonstration of complex ideas will be welcomed in elementary classrooms.”

To learn more interesting facts about Growing Patterns, follow me on my virtual book tour over to Live. Love. Explore., written by Irene Latham.

If you missed Monday’s stop, you can check it out at Joe D’Agnese’s blog.

Davis Magnet School Second Graders went out with cameras today to document their neighborhood. Along the way, they forged relationships with neighbors of all kinds: business owners, missionaries, public servants, and artists. It was a fantastic day. The rain held off until our very last stop. Here are two favorites of mine. There were lots of exclamations like:

“Using a camera is fun!”

“Maybe I’ll be an artist when I grow up.”

This student worked very hard to frame this statue of Eudora Welty, which is on the grounds of The Commons at Eudora Welty’s birthplace.

The bronze statue of Welty provides an interesting subject for the students.

They are always interested in knowing why she was so tall. Jonathan Sims, the artist-in-residence at The Commons, showed the students some of his sculptural works in progress so they could understand the process.

Today is the official publication date for Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature (Boyds Mills Press). To celebrate publication, I have lined up a virtual book tour. Today I am appearing on the blog of a new friend, Joseph D’Agnese. By a very happy coincidence, he has a picture book biography coming out later this month about Fibonacci, the man himself. It’s called Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci (published by Henry Holt). I can’t wait to see the book. I’ll have an interview with Joe in a few weeks.

Here’s the rest of the tour shedule:

Tuesday, March 2, at Live. Love. Explore., written by Irene Latham. (Video spot.)

Wednesday, March 3, at Elizabeth O. Dulemba’s blog. (Story behind the book.)

Thursday, March 4, at My Log Cabin Life, written by Julie Owen. (Photography.)

Friday, March 5, at Dori Reads, written by Doraine Bennett.

On Saturday, March 6, come back here for my exclusive video interview with Richard Campbell, the other half of this creative team. We’d also love to see you in the flesh at our book signing at Lemuria at 10 a.m.

If you are a regular reader, you know I’ve already done interviews at Writing Snacks and Teaching Authors. I hope you’ll follow my tour.

Today, the second graders at Davis Magnet walked through the neighborhood around their school, stopping in at pre-arranged locations. I walked with Ms. Hansen’s class. As you can see, we set off with a spring in our step. Several students chanted a version of the “Let’s go walking, Mississippi,” theme song. We visited a restaurateur, lawyers (who are also Davis adopters), the state appellate court, and an artist. Students carried with them frames they had made last week. They practiced snapping “photographs.” Next week, small groups of students will go out again — with cameras.

Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature received a positive review in Publisher’s Weekly.
“Besides being eye-catching, the photographs ought to prove invaluable for visual learners (spiral patterns in a pinecone are darkened for visibility). Kids should be left with a clear understanding of the pattern and curious about its remarkable prevalence in nature.”
Read the whole review here. Scroll about three-quarters of the way down the page.