CIRCLES OF ROUND

Although this book deals in circularity, there is something oddly square about the concept and the language.

The joke of the book is that in the town of Round, where everything is circular, a Triangle comes to try to change the circles into angular shapes. His efforts are ultimately unsuccessful, and the Circles are affirmed in their circularity. Triangle realizes that “this market could never be cornered.” This and several other puns will likely present a challenge to older children and will certainly pass over the heads of the young children to whom this book appears to be directed. The illustrations are problematic as well. Strips of colored paper are rolled, curled and folded into silhouettes and then photographed. The book is not helped by the uneven quality of the photography. For a book like this to work, the photographs of strips of paper in various configurations would need to be a good deal sharper and easier on the eye, as well as treated more consistently with regard to shadows and orientation. The generally heavy shadows and dull colors give the book a morose rather than cheery cast. The central illustration that shows the intrusive Triangle falls unfortunately in midspread and casts a heavy shadow, making it quite hard to interpret.

Ostensibly aimed at very young children, the concepts and text have something a tad middle-aged about them, making this a messy miss.