Into the Dark: Circle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klaasen

THIS IS CIRCLE.

Circle invites her friends Square and Triangle over to play a game of hide and seek.

"HERE ARE THE RULES," SHE SAID. "I WILL CLOSE MY EYES AND COUNT. YOU MUST HIDE. I WILL FIND YOU.

THERE'S ONE MORE RULE. NO HIDING UNDER THE WATERFALL."

Square is fine with that rule. It's dark back there.

"WHY NOT?" SAID TRIANGLE. "I AM NOT AFRAID OF THE DARK."

There's one in every crowd.

When Circle finishes her count and opens her eyes, Square is still there. He reports that Triangle is not following the rules. He has gone behind the waterfall.

With a sigh, Square goes behind her waterfall to look for Triangle. There's a shadowy and dank cave back there, with pools of water and big rocks here and there, and the further she goes into the cave the darker it gets. If Triangle is there, she can't see him. She calls Triangle, but there's no answer. Then she sees something familiar through the gloom.

Circle is not happy. Breaking the rules has spoiled their fun.

"WHY ARE YOU SUCH A BAD FRIEND?"

But then Circle hears her own voice echoing in the dark and regrets her hard words. She apologizes to the shape in the dark.

"YOU ARE A GOOD FRIEND."

Triangle finally answers, saying that he is actually relieved to see Square and Circle there.

And then Circle points out that whoever or whatever Triangle is seeing, it's not Square, who is still outside.

"OH," SAID TRIANGLE.

That is a scary moment, but back in the sunlight, all is forgiven, and Circle waxes philosophical about the shape she thought she saw back in the dark. Could it have been perhaps something good?

In their Circle (Candlewick Press, 2019) Mac Barnett and Jon Klaasen offer much more than a short picture book that completes their award-winning trilogy. It teaches shapes to the very young, and it's an irresistible beginner book for emergent readers, but at the same time a short treatise on the nature of friendship and a thoughtful look at how fears grow in the dark of not knowing. A wise look at what we think we know when we don't really know.

Says Kirkus Reviews,"Illustrator Klassen's watercolor, graphite, and digitally created illustrations are evocative in their muted palette and spare presentation...the implied message of the story is a vital one in this xenophobic age and its subtle delivery and imagery encourage further exploration."

Shaping Up! Friendshape by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld

WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT FRIENDS?

WE'RE GLAD YOU ASKED.

When you first learn about shapes, you start seeing them everywhere. It seems that everything is made out of shapes! And, truth to tell, most everything is.

In their latest, Friendshape (Scholastic Press, 2015), ace creators Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld again combine their language and art skills to show youngsters what wonderful things four little shapes can be and do.

FRIENDS MAKE YOU FEEL WELCOME!

Triangle centers itself on top of square, and voila'! It's a house! and red Rectangle rolls out in front, a red carpet for Circle to use to roll up right to the door!

Friends can make for fun, too! Balance Rectangle at the apex of Triangle, and LOOK! Square and Circle have themselves a seesaw upon which to enjoy the ups and downs of geometry!

And this circle of friendship is not exclusive, as we see when Octagon happens comes into view.

GLAD YOU COULD STOP BY! (Get it? Stop Sign?)

Shapes can disagree, but if they look at the idea from another angle, one can see that the other has got a good point! Friendshapes stick together to make stacks, even though their constructions do have their ups and downs, but they usually get their ideas off the ground, as square on rectangle topped by triangle make a rocket flight to the moon, appropriately played by blue Circle. And with triangle around, they know they always have a friend to lean on. In fact, if they line up just right, the friends can even spell out l o v e! (sort of)!

When author Rosenthal and artist Lichtenheld come together, even their pages are models of collaborative excellence. Rosenthal's easy wordplay and Lichtenheld's witty sight gags make this lesson in primary shapes an adventure for the imagination and an easy lesson on cooperation that will have kids eager to try their hand to see what else they can make with their shape blocks. Perfect as a lap book for a toddler, a preschool class read for a shapes unit, or a funny easy read for emergent readers, this one is a first purchase for home, public, and school libraries.

Pair this one with Michael Hall's Perfect Square and his delightful My Heart Is Like a Zoo, (see my reviews here) and for a look at natural shapes, Judith Nouvion's Shapes (Picture This) (see review here) for a basic geometry lesson which will leave no one bent out of shape!