Perfect Square

Michael Hall (2011), 40 pages

Audience: toddlers, pre-K

Format: picture book

There once was a red square who was perfectly happy with his “four matching corners and four equal sides.” However, during the week this perfect square is altered and transformed. Each day something new has happened to him. On Monday is was punched with holes, on Tuesday torn into scraps, Wednesday shredded, Thursday shattered, Friday snipped, Saturday crumpled and ripped … yet each time he transforms into something new and picturesque. This unexpected journey is so much fun … and full of surprises. Graphic designer, Michael Hall makes minimalism sing; combining simple shapes and a few choice words Hall’s pictures brings form and color to life. His storyline is clever and sharp and the cumulative text is almost Eric Carle-esc. Children are treated to an array of shapes, a rainbow of colors, and an imaginative premise … by the book’s end they’ll be both entertained and inspired! A great read-aloud book for parents and educators. Take advantage of this book's creative premise and offer preschoolers a fun follow up craft where they can make their own square designs (learn motor skills) and narrate its transformation (practice narrative ability); integrating these types of early development skills is essential for building pre-reading skills in children 0-4.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Press Here by Hervé Tullet, Shadow by Suzy Lee, or It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw

Other books by this author: My Heart is Like a Zoo

Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes

Roseanne Thong (2000), 34 pages

Illustrated by Grace Lin

Audience: toddlers

Format: picture book

In Thong’s book, Round is a Mooncake, everyday objects, food, and environment construct lessons in shapes and Chinese-American culture. A premise, which creates an interesting and rich backdrop of circle, square, and rectangle shapes as described by one little girl discovering them among her surroundings. The author’s use of simple language, repetition, and rhyming text is engaging and descriptive. For instance, “round is a mooncake, round is the moon; round are the lanterns outside my room.” Thong uses equal parts Chinese and American references to discuss common shapes. For example “square is the box that pizza comes in; and dim sum made by Mrs. Chin” an illustration shows the family eating a meal of pizza slices and Chinese dim sum. In addition, prompting techniques are used throughout the narrative asking the reader to participate: “what other round things to do see?” or “I can name more square things, can you?” – a great way to involve children in the storytelling process. Concept books (literature featuring fundamental shapes, numbers, or letters) are essential to a child’s development. This book is unique serving as a foundation for gaining shape awareness whilst learning Chinese customs and traditions. Pairs nicely with Thong’s picture book, Red is a Dragon: A Book of Colors for a comprehensive look at colors and textures.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: The Shape of Me and Other Stuff by Dr. Seuss, When a Line Bends … A Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler Greene, or Brown Rabbit’s Shape Book by Alan Baker

Other books by this author: Red is a Dragon: A Book of Colors, Wish: Wishing Traditions Around the World, Gai See: What You See in Chinatown, and Fly Free!

Pezzettino

Leo Lionni (1975), 32 pages

Audience: pre-K

Format: picture book

Pezzettino (Italian for little piece) is small compared to all other things. He is convinced he belongs elsewhere, a missing piece to someone bigger and stronger. He tries repeatedly … asking everyone (the Strong-one, the Swimming-one, the One on-the-mountain) if they are missing a piece? But, the answer is always the same; they respond incredulously … how could I be strong, swim, or climb mountains if I had a piece missing? Poor Pezzettino, he is unsure of who he is and where he belongs. But, all that changes when one day he sets sail for the Island of Wham where Pezzettino discovers a truth ... that he belongs to no one else, but himself! Celebrated children’s author and illustrator, Leo Lionni created a timeless classic sure to be enjoyed for future generations. Pezzettino, is a tremendously uplifting tale with an inspirational moral – to thine own self be true!

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Shape by David Goodman, If by Sarah Perry, One by Kathryn Otoshi, The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle

Other books by this author: An Extraordinary Egg, It’s Mine!, Inch by Inch (Caldecott Honor), Swimmy (Caldecott Honor), and Frederick (Caldecott Honor)

Baby’s Beginnings: Colors

So Smart (2009), 30 minutes

Audience: babies

Format: DVD

Instrumental music, soft narration, and colorful animation combined make learning colors fun for babies and parents! In short intervals (for a total playing time of 30 minutes), seven colors are featured in separate segments allowing babies to learn easily and at their own pace. All seven colors (green, purple, blue, yellow, orange, red, and pink) are brought to life using simple shapes and cute animated animals! This video is charming, sweet, and imaginative -a great teaching tool for parents and infants.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this DVD, you may like: Crazy for Color produced by The BumbleBee Kids Studio

Other products by So Smart: Baby’s First-Word Stories: Pets, Beginning Shapes, Beginning Letters

Language Nursery

Baby Einstein (2002), 62 minutes

Audience: babies

Format: DVD

The Baby Einstein Language Nursery video presents babies with short, colorful vignettes in eight different languages: Japanese, Russian, English, Hebrew, German, Italian, French, and Spanish. The video features traditional rhymes, songs, numbers, alphabets, and lullabies by native speakers and uses very simple imagery (close-ups shots of dolls and toys along with minimal graphics), engages babies’ sense of sight and sound. The DVD contains additional footage of flashcards (29 different vocabulary words) and a video tutorial, which instructs the parents on how to watch the video while interacting with their baby. The Baby Einstein brand declares that the videos should be used in conjunction with parent interaction, citing “that parent-child interaction is one of the most critical elements to the development of a healthy and happy baby during the first three years of life” (Baby Einstein Company, 2007, ¶ 2). Additional videos concentrate on other subjects, such as music (Baby Mozart and Baby Bach), poetry (Baby Shakespeare), and colors (Baby Van Gogh). An excellent source for parents and babies will find the content appealing and fun!

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this DVD, you may like: Little Pim (Series) produced by The Little Pim Co.

Other products by Baby Einstein: Discovering Shapes, Baby Mozart, and Neighborhood Animals

Orange Pear Apple Bear

Emily Gravett (2005), 32 pages

Audience: babies, toddlers

Format: picture book

The ultimate rhyming book! Through clever wordplay and smart illustrations Gravett relates an entire narrative using just five words. Deceptively simple, this book features many educational aspects such as phonemic-blending, colors, shapes, and counting skills. Wordplay includes using words as nouns and adjectives; for example bear is shown eating a pear and later being pear-shaped; or an orange is pictured and then used to describe bear as orange-colored. Gravett repeats these elements throughout the book, infiltrating even the book's endpapers (apples, oranges, and pears line the pages) and copyright statement/publishing information which forms the shape of pear. With such attention to detail, its no wonder this book is a delight to young children! A wonderful introduction to shapes, colors, and rhymes; build a baby or toddler's vocabulary by using real fruit (apples, oranges, and pears) while reading the book.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Andy That’s My Name by Tomie dePaloa

Other books by this author: Meerkat Mail, The Rabbit Problem, Blue Chameleon, Monkey and Me, The Odd Egg, and Dogs