All About Patterns

by Elizabeth Rusch, Elizabeth Goss (illustrator)

An enlightening picture book exploration about how patterns fill and shape our everyday lives. This mindful meditation challenges kids to see the world differently.

What do you know about patterns? There are simple alternating patterns and more complex ones that spin and spread out. There are patterns in stories and patterns in music. When you dance, you're making patterns with your whole body.

You might even notice a comforting pattern to your day. When that pattern is broken, everything can feel chaotic. But sometimes breaking a pattern can make room for a new one worth repeating!

A thought-provoking and visually stunning exploration of the math, art, and emotion of patterns.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published April 29, 2025

About the author

ELIZABETH RUSCH is an award-winning book author, magazine writer, editor, writing teacher and speaker. Her wide-ranging passions include astronomy, volcanology, art, music, history, nature, waves, jokes, crayons, and mud — anything that catches her fancy. She is inspired by stories of exploration and discovery, stories that have been overlooked by history, and stories that grapple with persistent questions. Whether writing fiction or nonfiction for children or adults or teaching workshops, she hopes her work opens doors, opens minds, opens possibilities.

Reviews

[Srujan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever stopped to consider the patterns that govern your day? The way the sun rises and sets, the rhythm of your breath, the sequence of your thoughts? In All About Patterns, the author shows us that these patterns are not just random occurrences, but rather the underlying fabric of our universe, waiting to be unraveled and understood.

For children, patterns are everywhere, they are a big part of what they observe and absorb from their environment. Patterns make them feel safe and happy. Playing with blocks and building towers, they learn to repeat blocks in the way the blocks fit together and harmonize. Patterns can make them feel like they can predict what's going to happen next, and that makes them feel brave and strong. Which is why patterns are important to their everyday lives. In All About Patterns, Elizabeth Rusch shows us that patterns are all around us, and that they can help our little ones make sense of the world.

Big thanks to Charlesbridge Publishing and NetGalley for sending me a digital ARC of this book! I always appreciate a good read, and as always, all opinions here are a wholly mine and a 100% honest.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 5 out of 5]

This nonfiction picture book teaches kids about what patterns are, gives examples of what they might look like, and shows how we can observe patterns in art, nature, and our everyday routines. The language is simple and kid-friendly, and the illustrations are stunning. The art style appeals to me greatly, and helps convey what the text is explaining.

This is part of a series that teaches basic art concepts in a really simple, relatable, and engaging way. I highly recommend this for classroom settings and families, and this one is especially valuable for families, since it addresses the experience of a new baby through the lens of dealing with disrupted patterns and creating new patterns together.

I received a temporary digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Beau Manglass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reviewing a digital ARC that I received for free via Netgalley.

I was first drawn to the cover of this lovely little book, with its attractive color palette and elegant character design. The shaded in eyes are honestly a liiitle weird for me, but not really even bad weird. I got used to them.

The story itself informs about patterns in both a very concrete sense (visual patterns in art, patterns in music and literature) and the broader sense of patterns in one's day and one's life. Towards the end, it touches lightly but deftly on the anxiety and discomfort that can come with a change in pattern (in this case, adjusting to a new sibling.)

I found the art style very beautiful, particularly the weight and shadow given to many of the lines which creates a layered, almost stained glass effect.

[Kiera Beddes · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you know about patterns? Have you noticed all the patterns around you? This is a fascinating exploration about all the kinds of patterns that infuse every part of our world, all it takes is a little noticing!

I really like this series of books. I read All About Nothing, which I thought was fascinating. I really enjoyed the cut paper illustrations. It makes the illustrations so striking and captivating. I also really liked the simplicity of the story. Patterns are more than a print you choose to wear, there can also be a pattern to how we organize our day. I think this would be a great book for younger students who are getting used to the pattern of school, as well as the older grades when they start learning about computer science.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review will be live on my blog - donnasbookblog on 29 April 2025 - publication day!

I really liked this book and the focus too on patterns that can be found in every day life - it had us looking for them after we finished the book and there were so many you don't realise are there

The book gave a lot of examples of patterns - including physical patterns, patterns in movement, patterns in music and patterns in books and poems, etc. where there can be repetitive wording.

I thought that this was a fun book and it had some great illustrations, a nice and clear layout too and the text was clear and easy to read and follow!

It is 4 stars from me - highly recommended!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

All About Patterns is a wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated children's book which helps children explore what patterns are, how they exist all around us, and can occur in all parts of our lives.

This is a fun and thought-provoking book, sure to engage young readers/listeners and become a favorite read. I highly recommend it!

My thanks to Charlesbridge for allowing me to read a DRC of the book via NetGalley. Publication is 4/29/25. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

[Kaitlyn Bieszk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very cute book that showcases patterns that children see and do. It shows patterns in music, things they can do with their bodies, in stories, and then daily habits they do. It introduces a disruption to patterns (a new baby to the family), but that it isn't all bad until they learn to make a new pattern. This would be a good book for a young child who has a new sibling in their life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for the advanced reader copy. This book is set to be published on April 29, 2025.

[Shirley Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to introduce patterns to children and to students in classrooms at all grade levels. The information after the story provides details to teachers to help them discuss patterns with students. Teachers can challenge students to find patterns in the classroom, in the stories they read, in math class, history, science, art, music, PE, on the playground, and at home. I can't wait for this book to be published so I can share with students. I am purchasing this author's other two books to use in classes as well.

[Ellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars (I really liked it)

This book was very informative about patterns while also showing a story in the illustrations. I think it was a really interesting way to present the topic of patterns. The color scheme is not my favorite (not sure how to explain it, perhaps it was the thick black lines?) but that didn't take away from the overarching message of the book.

[Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Netgalley ARC - This a great book for mindfulness and noticing the small things in life, as well as understanding our lives from a more zoomed out lens. I think the illustrations are lovely examples of the joy of patterns.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple book about patterns how they fill and shape our everyday lives. It is perfect for pre-kindergarten to 2nd graders. The illustrations are richly simple and colorful. There is also beautiful diversity throughout the book.

[Jenae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only complaint is the colors were a little jarring

[Maeve · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exploration of patterns, found in nature, math, music, and other places.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended ages: 4 to 6 (publisher says ages 4 to 8, but I think this book skews toward a younger audience; by 8, young children will have likely already learned the things this book describes)

What I loved:
• Illustrations depict children of different skin colors (including on the cover!👏👏👏)
• Book describes where you can find patterns and how they can be made, even how patterns can affect our daily lives, including our thoughts and emotions

What I did not love:
• The book only very briefly explains what patterns are
• While at the end of the book we are given a few examples of “how to spot” patterns, this is the only amount of space dedicated to this in the book

All About Patterns will be published April 29, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlesbridge, and Elizabeth Rusch for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sara Mion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great introductory book to patterns and noticing the world around you. I teach about patterns in my preschool class and would love to use this book to broaden their understanding of patterns. How anything that repeats can be a pattern, not just numbers or colors or letters, but our daily routine and music!

I also liked how the book acknowledged that a change in pattern can feel chaotic or disruptive, children don’t always have the words to explain why they feel “off” but noticing that their pattern is different could be so helpful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for sending me a copy of this book to review.