LINES AND SHAPES: A First Look at Geometry

Geometry used to just happen. It followed algebra in the high school curriculum as the night the day. But these new children with their new math come at things out of order in terms of the slow and stately pattern of yesterday. And thus we have the concept books to further soften and prepare the pliable intelligence. How to judge these books depends upon their ultimate use. The school market has proved to be the most eager for science and math titles especially in those areas where what five years ago was considered an accelerated program is now the accepted norm. This market predicates an ultimate reader guided by or motivated by a teacher. Most of them would leave the voluntary reader, or the interested impulse borrower in public libraries, colder than a polar bear's toenail. This book is no exception. Ever so gently, logically and thoroughly it introduces the definitions of a straight line, a curved line, an angle, parallel lines and their tragic lack of togetherness, etc. The clear illustrations of Arnold Spilka re-enforce the text at every point with complete sketches in which the heavy lines exemplify the shapes described. For an early grades teacher, the book is a full lesson plan. Neither text nor pictures however make the book particularly appealing to any reader willing and able to postpone their first look at geometry.