This Is a Book of Shapes

by Kenneth Kraegel, Kenneth Kraegel (Illustrator)

Overview

The creator of King Arthur’s Very Great Grandson and Green Pants switches gears with a slyly silly introduction to shapes—just watch out for the emus!

First comes the circle. Then the square and the triangle. Then the . . . emu pushing a pancake wagon down a hill? What begins as a concept book about everyone’s geometric favorites soon defies expectations with a series of funny and imaginative twists. Award-winning author-illustrator Kenneth Kraegel pairs a deadpan text with simple wood-grained shapes, interspersed with vibrant illustrations of animals engaged in hilariously absurd pastimes. Each page turn builds on the delicious anticipation the contrast creates to make this a unique and rollicking story-time hit.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536207019
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	09/08/2020
Pages:	30
Sales rank:	110,048
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Kenneth Kraegel is the author-illustrator of three picture books—Green Pants, The Song of Delphine, and King Arthur's Very Great Grandson, which was named a New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book of the Year—as well as the first chapter book Wild Honey from the Moon. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his family.

Editorial Reviews

Concept books come with expectations, and everybody knows them. Mastering basic shapes is a key element for preschool readiness, and everybody knows that. Kraegel breaks, most delightfully, from the program, throwing his audience off balance with one change-up and then another, until this rudimentary lesson is so swamped with giggles that tykes might forget they’re learning.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Surprising
—Wall Street Journal

From the Publisher

2020-10-27
As the title says, this is a book of shapes—but with a little touch of whimsy.

A goofy-looking emu on the cover, with wispy feathers in beautiful shades of purple and turquoise, forewarns readers there is more to the book than simple shapes. And it delivers. The first spread presents a wood-grained green circle against a white background and a simple, straightforward statement: “This is a circle.” Next comes a red square and “This is a square.” Next, a blue triangle and “This is a triangle.” Next comes an emu. An emu? The deadpan narration announces, “This is an emu pushing a pancake wagon down the hill.” Readers are now in the know; what other quirky appearances might there be? The book does not disappoint. Interspersed with other basic shapes, a porpoise reading knock-knock jokes and a skateboarding rhinoceros also show up in the same matter-of-fact way. Being in on the joke, children will have no difficulty accepting the juxtaposition of simple shapes and silly animal antics as perfectly sensible. But when a plain pineapple makes an appearance, readers will agree with the author: “What is that doing here?” The final spread shows animals and shapes but no pineapple—after all, it doesn’t belong here—having fun at the beach.

Bound to put a smile on readers’ faces. (Board book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews