Watch This!: A Book About Making Shapes

by Jane Godwin, Beci Orpin, Hilary Walker

Overview

A bold and playful celebration of movement, energy, pattern, color and shape!

In a world oversaturated with beautiful photos (hello Instagram!) and imagery (hello 'Golden Age of Illustration'!) we sometimes forget the power that photos can have for our children. Seeing photographs of other kids in action promotes empathy, acknowledges the diversity of our community and encourages PLAY!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781947534995
Publisher:	Scribe Publications Pty Ltd
Publication date:	03/04/2020
Edition description:	US edition
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.06(w) x 9.84(h) x (d)
Lexile:	AD430L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Jane Godwin is an Australian children’s book publisher, and also the highly acclaimed author of over twenty books for children, across all styles and ages. Her work is published internationally and she has received many commendations, including the Queensland Premier’s Award (Children’s Books), the Aurealis Award and the Animal Welfare Award, and shortlistings in the CBC Book of the Year Awards, the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, the New South Wales State Literary Award (Patricia Wrightson Prize), the YABBA Awards, the Speech Pathology Awards, The Family Award for Children’s Books, and the Australian Book Industry Awards.

Beci Orpin is a triple threat in the shape of an internationally adored and respected illustrator, designer, and artist. Having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Textile Design from RMIT in 1996, she has gone on to become enormously successful, exhibiting her incredible designs and creations locally and internationally. While she is always in demand for collaboration thanks to her quirky and fresh artistic flair, in her downtime Beci likes to enjoy family life in Melbourne with her husband and business partner Ralph and her two sons Tyke and Ari, while tending to the garden, opp-shopping, bird-watching, and cooking.

Hilary is a Melbourne based photographer working in Brunswick East. After completing a BA in Photography at RMIT she began her career shooting book covers in London. These days her work mostly involves documenting people and interiors with a natural and informal aesthetic—shooting for book publishers, magazines, and commercial clients. She's known for her calm and friendly approach and specialises in working with children.

Editorial Reviews

Twelve children bend, twist, and join limbs to form various shapes, all photographed against large, patterned pops of color…Some shapes are accomplished alone (a circle with one's arms overhead or a "little" triangle with one's fingers). But most shapes are a collaborative effort. (Whenever one child's toes nearly touch another's face, the apprehensive looks are priceless.)…The children are racially diverse with names hinting at ethnic diversity as well, and playful touches (tongues out, gleeful smiles) expertly capture childlike exuberance. A treat for all learners, kinesthetic or otherwise.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“In this inviting concept book, children use their bodies to make different shapes. Brilliantly clear, eye-catching photographs showcase gross motor skills in action…The cheery, conversational text encourages children not only to recognize shapes in their world but also to make connections between themselves and others, and playfully prompts more abstract thinking…The personalities of the 12 diverse participants shine through…A kinetic celebration of body and mind.”
—School Library Journal

“Grab a friend—or two or three—and challenge yourselves by bending, stretching, and twisting into a variety of geometric shapes. Color photographs show a multicultural team of smiling children working together, using their fingers, hands, arms, legs, and whole bodies to create basic shapes like squares, triangles, diamonds, and stars. With this interactive guide that encourages healthy, creative play through imitation, just follow the examples to shape up, or practice identifying sight words and patterns.”
—Foreword Reviews

“[M]ore than a book about shapes. It is, but it’s also a book that is subtly about movement and exercise, about friendship and co-operation, and about how much fun learning about and experiencing all of those things can be.”
—Baby Librarians

“Charismatic, collaborative and creative shapes made with engaging kids who twist, turn and work together. A bold and bright book that will get you moving and inspire kids to create their own shapes. A perfect classroom read aloud and activity.”
—Jesica Sweedler DeHart, Librarian Review, Neill Public Library

From the Publisher

“Watch This! is a groundbreaking modern photographic picture bookabout children using their bodies to make sense of shapesin aplayful way, form three high-acclaimed Australian creators. A bold and playful celebration of movement, energy, pattern, color and shape!”

Good Reading

2019-11-24
This Australian concept book involves the whole body.

Twelve children bend, twist, and join limbs to form various shapes, all photographed against large, patterned pops of color. Readers are introduced to each child by name on the title-page spread. The kids start simply, with circles and triangles. Some shapes are accomplished alone (a circle with one's arms overhead or a "little" triangle with one's fingers). But most shapes are a collaborative effort. (Whenever one child's toes nearly touch another's face, the apprehensive looks are priceless.) Walker expertly photographs from various angles, though the overhead shots are by far the most clever and amusing. The shapes start to get more complicated (a star, a diamond) until interpretations become a bit looser and more creative. Children standing side by side holding hands are a wavy line, and two others hiding behind Ari with arms straight out becomes a six-armed "Ari-tangle." Orpin's backgrounds and frames often echo the shapes in case extra reinforcement is needed. The children are racially diverse with names hinting at ethnic diversity as well, and playful touches (tongues out, gleeful smiles) expertly capture childlike exuberance.

A treat for all learners, kinesthetic or otherwise. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews