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Look
In the tradition of Tomie dePaola’s Quiet , this lyrical, timely picture book with beautiful diorama illustrations shows that if you really look, you never know what the world might give you to see.
The natural world is full of patterns to enjoy for those who can ground themselves, be mindful, and truly see.
The natural world is full of patterns to enjoy for those who can ground themselves, be mindful, and truly see.
48 pages, Hardcover
Published April 16, 2024
2 people are currently reading
4189 people want to read
About the author
Gabi Snyder
5 books88 followersGabi Snyder is the author of TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE (Abrams/Appleseed, 2020) and LISTEN (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, July 2021).
Gabi lives in Oregon with her family.
Gabi lives in Oregon with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
May 3, 2024
This book is beautiful.
April 8, 2024
Thank you so much for this Giveaway! What an absolutely stunning book. The illustrations are incredible!!! Truly so beautiful. We also loved the activities and index at the back of the book. We have had many discussions come about because of the text, about observing the world around us.
July 14, 2024
This is a very unique book. Pointing out how we are surrounded in this world with patterns is unique and that idea gives children something unique to think about. Samantha's cut paper detailed illustrations are so beautiful and unique. The purple cat walking on the fence completely draws you right into the book.
I don't think I ever looked at a line of dogs walking and thought Tall, short, short, Tall. I enjoyed the page that asks the reader "Can you walk in an alternating pattern?" This would be a fun idea for teachers and parents to use with their children. Seeing the little boy Step, HOP, step, HOP down the sidewalk will inspire young children to try making up their own rhythmic patterns.
I love the Candy Stand page where the reader is told to look for patterns like various Zigzags on the walls of the candy stand. The lollipops are Circles and kids will find other candy circles, and the circles within circles can be found on the cart's wheels and Checkerboard pattern on the tablecloth. The whole scene is a feast for the eyes and will give readers so much to discover.
We are in this VAST world.
And the world is all around—
filled with colors and shapes and sizes.
When it’s hard to make sense
of this world . . .
look up . . .
Moons and stars and galaxies.
There are patterns everywhere connecting us.
Teachers and parents will appreciate the last page which describes some of the types of patterns, such as ALTERNATING PATTERNS, IRREGULAR PATTERNS, BRANCHING PATTERNS, FRACTAL PATTERNS, SYMMETRY PATTERNS, and CONSTELLATION PATTERNS.
Parents and teachers will love the list of activities included on the last page that they can use with their children. Kids will gobble up the entertaining activities. But all this is just a brief glimpse of this unique book with its beautiful unique illustrations that will keep everyone's attention and have them turning each page until they close the book.
I don't think I ever looked at a line of dogs walking and thought Tall, short, short, Tall. I enjoyed the page that asks the reader "Can you walk in an alternating pattern?" This would be a fun idea for teachers and parents to use with their children. Seeing the little boy Step, HOP, step, HOP down the sidewalk will inspire young children to try making up their own rhythmic patterns.
I love the Candy Stand page where the reader is told to look for patterns like various Zigzags on the walls of the candy stand. The lollipops are Circles and kids will find other candy circles, and the circles within circles can be found on the cart's wheels and Checkerboard pattern on the tablecloth. The whole scene is a feast for the eyes and will give readers so much to discover.
We are in this VAST world.
And the world is all around—
filled with colors and shapes and sizes.
When it’s hard to make sense
of this world . . .
look up . . .
Moons and stars and galaxies.
There are patterns everywhere connecting us.
Teachers and parents will appreciate the last page which describes some of the types of patterns, such as ALTERNATING PATTERNS, IRREGULAR PATTERNS, BRANCHING PATTERNS, FRACTAL PATTERNS, SYMMETRY PATTERNS, and CONSTELLATION PATTERNS.
Parents and teachers will love the list of activities included on the last page that they can use with their children. Kids will gobble up the entertaining activities. But all this is just a brief glimpse of this unique book with its beautiful unique illustrations that will keep everyone's attention and have them turning each page until they close the book.
April 11, 2024
The teacher in me gets SO excited when I see a picture book integrating a learning concept. LOOK invites the reader to look for patterns on the pages and in the world around them. The bright, layered illustrations and snappy, engaging text make it feel seamless and fun. This is a fantastic book to read along with a math lesson on patterns. It also works well as a book to read before you go on a walk or hike with kids. It gives them something to look more closely at as you wander and explore. Five stars.
February 24, 2024
Patterns make order in a chaotic world, so what a comfort to notice that they’re everywhere if you look for them. This beautiful book will help kids look closely at the patterns all around us that we might not notice every day. Like Gabi Snyder’s books LISTEN and TODAY, there’s a subtle lesson in mindfulness that feels enlightening without being didactic. Fascinating back matter gives this STEM cred that will make this a wonderful addition to any classroom library. Highly recommend!
March 19, 2024
Gabi Snyder has written a concise, engaging text that invites young readers to pause and notice the patterns that are all around us, both in nature and in the built environment. Samantha Cotterill's art is intricate and three-dimensional and just spectacularly beautiful--I wish I could dive into every page like Mary Poppins. And there's great back matter with activities for kids, like making patterns with objects or sounds. Don't miss this beautiful picture book!
April 15, 2024
This beautifully illustrated book helps readers see the world is made of lots of patterns and how focusing in can be helpful when feeling overwhelmed. With its interactive text, showing a wealth of images and asking readers to "look," we feel drawn into the story. Kids can come back to this book time and again, finding new things they may have passed over or reconnecting with favorite scenes.
August 21, 2025
LOOK provides a creative way for children to discover patterns. Written with a gentle tone and illustrated with vibrant shapes and colors, this story invites readers to pause and take stock of what's around them. The backmatter provides more information on patterns and fun activities to extend the experience.
September 27, 2024
What a gorgeous book! A lovely concept and enticing words captured my 3.5 year old to find patterns everywhere. Coupled with Samantha’s ever-fabulous art, this book is a timeless winner! Back matter includes more about types of patterns and pattern activities for families or classrooms. Highly recommend!!
April 12, 2024
Uniquely illustrated and deeply engaging, Look is a masterful invitation to examine the patterns that fill our life. STEM related backmatter includes activities to keep kids learning all day long!
August 6, 2024
A beautiful book about remembering where you are right now with bonus pattern learning. I would recommend it, regardless of age.
November 12, 2024
very colorful illustrations! A visual reminder of the wonder & beauty all around us-- stop and smell the roses
August 22, 2024
I love this book! The art is dynamic and joyful and colorful, and it was a really engaging book to read with my four-year-old, who enjoyed the challenges to pause and look for different elements.
October 21, 2024
A lovely, bright picture book about finding predictability and comfort in the minutiae of our vast, chaotic world. The pictures are stunning and I liked the font.
This would have spoken to my anxious kid heart, as someone who can still get overwhelmed by the big picture and needs to refocus on immediate surroundings or details to calm my nervous system. There is more info about patterns and activity ideas in the back of the book. I was most pleasantly surprised by the text linking the concept of patterns to the consistent love all children should expect and deserve to receive.
This would have spoken to my anxious kid heart, as someone who can still get overwhelmed by the big picture and needs to refocus on immediate surroundings or details to calm my nervous system. There is more info about patterns and activity ideas in the back of the book. I was most pleasantly surprised by the text linking the concept of patterns to the consistent love all children should expect and deserve to receive.
May 4, 2024
Cotterill's illustrations are fabulous! The color palette is gorgeous and I love how lifelike everything seems with the three-dimensional, mixed-media cut outs.
Snyder's text is simple as it prompts readers to look closely at the illustrations and the world around us. The repetition in the text is yet another pattern.
Great for one-on-one sharing to have time to really examine the pages.
Patterns; Anxiety
Snyder's text is simple as it prompts readers to look closely at the illustrations and the world around us. The repetition in the text is yet another pattern.
Great for one-on-one sharing to have time to really examine the pages.
Patterns; Anxiety
April 22, 2024
This book is absolutely beautiful, and it talks about all types of patterns to look for in our world. I love the back matter at the end, too! If the book didn't end with a parent-child "I love you" page, I'd be book talking this to every teacher in my school district! =)
February 15, 2025
LOOK is a stunning book encouraging you to really “look” at the wonder around you in the world. The incredible diorama illustrations are layered and interesting. I spent so much time on every page taking everything in, just like the author suggests. Truly an incredible book!
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May 1, 2024I love the colors!
April 17, 2024
This book is beautiful and a fun read. It is colorful, creative, and an educational tool for children. I won this in a Goodreads giveaway and love it. My toddler really enjoyed all of the images and looking for patterns as well. He will definitely be requesting this book for bedtime every night.
July 8, 2024
I loved this detailed, exquisitely illustrated (with cut paper dioramas!) book about our overstimulating world and how to manage moving through it by paying close attention to details and finding patterns in the seeming chaos. Delightful.
Themes: Noticing, Patterns, Slow down, Calming down, Nature
Age range: Toddler-Early elementary
Themes: Noticing, Patterns, Slow down, Calming down, Nature
Age range: Toddler-Early elementary
July 10, 2024
Stunning artwork and a fun look at patterns!
May 9, 2025
Nominated for the KY Bluegrass Award for 2026 (preschool level), this is a great little book about taking the time to notice one's surroundings. The illustrations (cut paper) are absolutely stunning. And the end material with explanations of patterns and recommended activities would make it a great addition to a classroom library.
March 27, 2025
Colorful and cool, but too long or too vague. Different words could be used to describe different kinds of patterns through the text not just defined in back matter.
2nd look (ha) I like this better (update to 4 stars). I can see the enjoyment and usefulness of this colorful title to inspire closer inspection of our world, both natural and human made. Hopefully its focus on patterns can lead to other observations like colors and sounds and asymmetrical elements of nature.
2nd look (ha) I like this better (update to 4 stars). I can see the enjoyment and usefulness of this colorful title to inspire closer inspection of our world, both natural and human made. Hopefully its focus on patterns can lead to other observations like colors and sounds and asymmetrical elements of nature.
April 9, 2024
Patterns pop out in a new way, creating a different view of the world around us.
Following the day of a child and mother, this book encourages readers to stop and take a look at the world around them. Starting with the simple shadow from the back of a chair, each page leads further into the realm of patterns. From gardens to animals to stores and more, patterns are discovered everywhere.
Readers are directly addressed and encouraged, step-by-step, to gaze at their surroundings and discover various patterns. The text holds a playful, lyrical atmosphere as it suggests various places where patterns can be found. It fits the intended audience nicely and does make a nice read-aloud, but for group readings, it is important to have the illustrations very visible, since it's these which make this read hit home.
With a 3-D feel of texture and patterns, each page offers quite a bit to gaze at. I was surprised at how well suited this art style is for the purpose. The scenes are familiar, enticing readers to search in their own lives for patterns after the book is set down, but the scenes offer tons of seeking possibilities, too. It's fun to search through each one and not only discover the pattern mentioned in the text but see if others are visible as well.
This does a nice job at demonstrating how patterns are found even in unexpected ways and places. It never grows dull or monotonous but keeps expanding the variety, inspiring to immediately go on a search when the book is done. The last pages do hold a bit of information about some pattern types and offer ideas on seeking and creating patterns as an extra activity.
If nothing else, it is enjoyable simply to flip through the illustrations again and again and enjoy each and every scene. I received a DRC and kept flipping back to enjoy the colorful, rich scenes.
Following the day of a child and mother, this book encourages readers to stop and take a look at the world around them. Starting with the simple shadow from the back of a chair, each page leads further into the realm of patterns. From gardens to animals to stores and more, patterns are discovered everywhere.
Readers are directly addressed and encouraged, step-by-step, to gaze at their surroundings and discover various patterns. The text holds a playful, lyrical atmosphere as it suggests various places where patterns can be found. It fits the intended audience nicely and does make a nice read-aloud, but for group readings, it is important to have the illustrations very visible, since it's these which make this read hit home.
With a 3-D feel of texture and patterns, each page offers quite a bit to gaze at. I was surprised at how well suited this art style is for the purpose. The scenes are familiar, enticing readers to search in their own lives for patterns after the book is set down, but the scenes offer tons of seeking possibilities, too. It's fun to search through each one and not only discover the pattern mentioned in the text but see if others are visible as well.
This does a nice job at demonstrating how patterns are found even in unexpected ways and places. It never grows dull or monotonous but keeps expanding the variety, inspiring to immediately go on a search when the book is done. The last pages do hold a bit of information about some pattern types and offer ideas on seeking and creating patterns as an extra activity.
If nothing else, it is enjoyable simply to flip through the illustrations again and again and enjoy each and every scene. I received a DRC and kept flipping back to enjoy the colorful, rich scenes.
March 21, 2024
What a unique and beautiful book encouraging readers to look for patterns in nature and all around them in their daily lives -- from the straight lines of a picket fence to the zig-zag patterns in brick walkways to the star patterns in the sky. But beyond encouraging curiosity and mindfulness, it is also a book about how looking for such patterns can also offer us a feeling of stability, order, and connectedness when we feel overwhelmed or confused in our increasingly overwhelming and confusing world. As someone who has struggled with anxiety from a very early age, I find such comfort in author’s message: “When the world feels confusing… look.” And one cannot talk about this book without mentioning the STUNNING 3-D diorama cut-out illustrations! They are absolutely incredible! I really don’t know how the illustrator managed to create something so inspiring and intricate. You have no choice but to LOOK in awe at every page! A gorgeous and brilliant book.
April 28, 2024
LOOK is an engaging children's picture book that teaches them to look around and take in all the colors and sights the world has to offer. The illustrations are stunning with the intricate details and it's utilization of paper art. This book is a celebration of art and also teaches children about patterns. The little boy not only picks out the color patterns, but also the size ones like big, small, tall, and short. I also love how it shows children how to appreciate even the little things. In the back of the book, there's a more in depth look at what the word pattern means and how to spot them. It also has some pattern activities for children to do.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to younger children aged four and up who are learning patterns. It would also be a great addition to preschool or kindergarten classrooms and it's perfect for children who enjoy art and nature.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to younger children aged four and up who are learning patterns. It would also be a great addition to preschool or kindergarten classrooms and it's perfect for children who enjoy art and nature.
May 16, 2024
LOOK! Is a beautiful picture book that explores the patterns all around us, both in nature and in human-made objects. Readers follow along with a young child and their mother as they spend a day exploring. There’s a comforting message about our connectedness, and readers are encouraged to step back and look for patterns whenever the world feels big and overwhelming. Back matter encourages kids to explore and find patterns, as well as make patterns of their own. The text is simple but powerful, providing just enough context to let readers take in the incredible, engaging illustrations. Kids will enjoy using this as a “seek and find” book in addition to appreciating the overall story. I highly recommend this title for both home and school bookshelves. It’s the perfect mix of educational content with a comforting story, well-written and with dazzling illustrations!
September 26, 2024
Highly recommended picture book; encourages young readers to develop observational powers
LOOK by Gabi Snyder is a fascinating picture book that explores patterns in nature and in man-made objects, encouraging young readers to develop a keen eye for observation. For ages four to eight, it's beautifully illustrated by Samantha Cotterill with pages of bright colors that alternate with one- or two-toned drawings. Deeply engaging, LOOK concludes by defining seven kinds of patterns, which is exceedingly helpful for kids as well as for adults like me who never understood fractals until now! There are also three activities that I expect will absorb and fascinate youngsters. Kids who struggle with big feelings will likely find ways to ground themselves with the many pattern-searching ideas in LOOK's pages. Highly recommended!
LOOK by Gabi Snyder is a fascinating picture book that explores patterns in nature and in man-made objects, encouraging young readers to develop a keen eye for observation. For ages four to eight, it's beautifully illustrated by Samantha Cotterill with pages of bright colors that alternate with one- or two-toned drawings. Deeply engaging, LOOK concludes by defining seven kinds of patterns, which is exceedingly helpful for kids as well as for adults like me who never understood fractals until now! There are also three activities that I expect will absorb and fascinate youngsters. Kids who struggle with big feelings will likely find ways to ground themselves with the many pattern-searching ideas in LOOK's pages. Highly recommended!
March 12, 2024
A stunning study of patterns and repetitions in the world around us! LOOK brings a sense of mindfulness, connection, and discovery to everything from buildings to tree bark, from shadow and light to steps and hops. Readers are drawn into engaging multi-material collage in a wide variety of colors and settings, bringing layered dimensionality you don't expect from the typical children's book - and don't want to look away from for a minute! Gentle questions, encouragements, and observations in the text make the book especially engaging as a read-aloud/read-together, and the clear and clever back matter allows the curious to keep exploring patterns in fun ways! An unforgettable addition to your collection.
April 7, 2024
I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.
This gorgeous book is all about observing the world around you in finding comfort in the patterns in the world. Finding the similarities and patterns around us can help soothe the mind, especially for children who are just starting to notice how big the world really is. I enjoyed this way of calming down the mind when we are feeling nervous, anxious, or overwhelmed. I also loved the mix of illustrations and 3D throughout the artwork, a cool way of combining two mediums to highlight the message of patterning. Lastly, the text also emphasizes this theme by the repeating phrases throughout. A great, meditative book for when the world seems too much, or you just want to remember how to appreciate the world.
This gorgeous book is all about observing the world around you in finding comfort in the patterns in the world. Finding the similarities and patterns around us can help soothe the mind, especially for children who are just starting to notice how big the world really is. I enjoyed this way of calming down the mind when we are feeling nervous, anxious, or overwhelmed. I also loved the mix of illustrations and 3D throughout the artwork, a cool way of combining two mediums to highlight the message of patterning. Lastly, the text also emphasizes this theme by the repeating phrases throughout. A great, meditative book for when the world seems too much, or you just want to remember how to appreciate the world.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews