Broccoli, lightning, and mountain ranges cannot be described as cylinders, spheres, or cones, so what shape are they? Sarah C. Campbell uses stunning photography and clear language to describe and explain the Mysterious Patterns (Boyds Mill, $16.95) that make up these and many other natural phenomena: fractals. First described by Benoit Mandelbrot, shapes comprised of repeating parts of different sizes make up much of the world around us, from the Colorado River to Queen Anne’s lace. An afterword by mathematician Michael Frame, who worked with Mandelbrot, describes how humans have harnessed nature’s mysterious shape for technologies from the internet to the invisibility cloak. Ages 6-10. Emily Ellerbe