Shapes

by Shelley Rotner, Anne Woodhull

Overview

Stunning photographs by a National Geographic photographer invite children to look around and find a world of circles, triangles, squares, and much more.

Beautifully photographed, a diverse group of children explore the unexpected shapes of everyday sights and objects. "Eggs, grapes, lemons and leaves. Jellybeans, seeds, sunglasses, and balloons." They're all ovals!

Shelley Rotner, an accomplished photographer and a former kindergarten teacher, gently challenges children to think creatively about shapes in real life. The lyrical text provides much for readers to consider as they find circles in the sky (the moon, the sun), squares in the playground (hopscotch), and more.

A companion book to Rotner's acclaimed Colors, which received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews for it's "crisp, glowing, and crystal clear" photographs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823451845
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	07/19/2022
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	740,522
Product dimensions:	9.02(w) x 9.01(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Shelley Rotner is the author and photo-illustrator of more than thirty books, including Families. Her collaborations with Sheila M. Kelly include Shades of People, an ALA Notable Children's Book, and her solo work includes Colors, which received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. She lives in Northampton, MA.

Editorial Reviews

"In vivid images that remain effective despite smaller pages, Rotner explores shapes in nature, in objects, and among people."—The Horn Book

"The multisensory text encourages kids to associate shapes with listening and feeling. . . . High-quality photos of children and objects from nature and the built environment engage kids in exploring basic geometry."—Kirkus Reviews
 
"The wide range of items shown will prompt discussions about size, color, and distance. Woodhull’s simple, poetic prose lists objects for each shape, leaving plenty of room for youngsters to interact, volunteer their own suggestions, and think outside the (square) box."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

08/01/2020

PreS-K—Woodhull and National Geographic photographer Rotner offer a colorful introduction to shapes. Shapes are everywhere, from a small marble to the moon and stars. Each page discusses one shape and the many places it can be found. The large, vivid photographs will encourage preschool readers to point out their favorite shapes on each page. The wide range of items shown will prompt discussions about size, color, and distance. Woodhull's simple, poetic prose lists objects for each shape, leaving plenty of room for youngsters to interact, volunteer their own suggestions, and think outside the (square) box. VERDICT A smart title for preschool collections in public libraries.—Savannah Kitchens, Parnell Memorial Lib., Montevallo, AL

School Library Journal

2020-06-30
Exciting young children about mathematical concepts is becoming increasingly important, as parents and teachers recognize the value of STEM education.

This attractive, new full-color photo essay will stimulate children to recognize, name, and categorize the basic shapes they see everywhere. The multisensory text encourages kids to associate shapes with listening and feeling. Taste and smell can also be explored. Phrases like “TRIANGLES chime...” and “OVALS pop...” will inspire poetic use of language. The introductory spread for each shape includes one photo within a cutout of the shape, for example, a red kite within a diamond-shaped background of blue sky, and the caption: “DIAMONDS fly....” The page turn reveals a grid of photos of diamond shapes, including pips on playing cards, textiles and tiles, and a baseball diamond. The text naming these images appears in one box in the grid, so identifying which photo represents what’s described becomes a game, potentially spurring creative thought. On many spreads, racially diverse children interact with the shapes; a light-brown–skinned child sports a star barrette in curly brown hair, an Asian-presenting kid holds a square, wrapped present. The book ends with a challenge in the form of photos of different shapes and a question: “What shapes do you see?” An opening note discusses the difference between plane and spatial geometry and the importance of shape identification in early learning.

High-quality photos of children and objects from nature and the built environment engage kids in exploring basic geometry. (Informational picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews