Seeing Symmetry

Leedy points out that "if you can fold a shape exactly in half, it has symmetry." Her many visual examples, complete with the imaginary line of symmetry drawn in, will help young math students understand the concept. The pages are colorful, lively, and easy to understand in this encouraging, accurate book. Suggested activities and further explanations extend the text. Glos.

After reading this book a few times, it will be hard not to see symmetrical items everywhere you look. Starting simply, Leedy points out that "if you can fold a shape exactly in half, it has symmetry." Easy peasy. She goes on to show how you can picture lines of symmetry dividing the bodies of different animals (sea turtles, penguins, lizards) and how letters of the alphabet and full words can also be symmetrical. Her many visual examples, complete with the imaginary line of symmetry drawn in, will help young math students understand the concept. Things get a little challenging when examining the more abstract idea of rotational symmetry. Luckily Leedy provides many examples in art, quilt patterns, and the natural world. Throughout the book (in tiny font) the author asks readers to think beyond the page, presenting riddles that are answered in the appended notes; suggested activities and further explanations (including a glossary) extend the text. Though all pages are colorful, lively, and easy to understand, the illustrations of holiday symbols seem more like clip art than illustration and sometimes are contrived to fit the theme. But as an encouraging, accurate book about symmetry, this is an excellent offering for young mathematicians. robin l. smith