An effective bridge from simple shape identification to more specific geometric facts.
What’s the deal with the odd shape whose name sounds like a dino?
Triangle is the director of a space-themed play, and auditions are underway. The other shapes step up and state their strengths. Square says, “I have four sides. I can make a box. I like to stack.” Trapezoid continually interrupts, trying to proclaim similar merits—“I also have four sides. But I think outside the box!”—but is consistently dismissed. Eventually, the play is cast: Circle is the full moon, Star is a shooting star (obviously), Triangle stacked on Square makes the rocket. Trapezoid is cast as a dinosaur but rejects the role, saving the show when it finds a trap door and makes a dramatic entrance to ask to be the “rocket booster.” The show is a successful “BLAST OFF!” Despite Trapezoid’s intrusions, the other characters display good-natured camaraderie throughout, and there is plenty of wordplay. Star’s proclamation that “I have five points” is paired with a bulleted list of mostly shape-related statements, for instance. Illustrations are comics-style, with frequent paneling and word balloons. Sticklike appendages and a hand-drawn style make the shapes surprisingly expressive. The prevalent purple outer-space background on the wooden stage visually grounds the story while still allowing the shapes’ soft primary colors to pop. The text ends with a brief discussion on classifying shapes, a minicomic to further visualize parallel lines, and the URL to the author’s website for “more fun with shapes.”
An effective bridge from simple shape identification to more specific geometric facts. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-58089-883-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2019
Young readers with a fondness for amphibians will jump all over this one. (Fiction. 6-8)
Stink Moody, younger brother of Judy, hops into the spotlight with a common problem—and one that’s a bit more unusual.
Stink would like to advance in his swimming lessons, but he’s afraid to put his face underwater and seems doomed to remain a Polliwog forever. Fortunately, he’s distracted from that issue by the sudden appearance around town—in some surprising places—of a whole lot of real frogs, a few of which are deformed. These frogs give McDonald the opportunity to offer a little information, through the voice of a nature-center guide, on how adverse environmental conditions can influence frog development. Stink memorizes a variety of frog sounds, enabling him to participate in a frog count at a local pond. Somehow, he becomes convinced that he’s turning into a frog himself, but that might just make it possible for him to swim underwater. Brief, cheery, oversized text and lot of cartoonish black-and-white illustrations (only some of which were available for review) make this a good choice for newly independent readers. A minor issue is that the text informs readers that it is early spring; even in Virginia, that’s a little early for Stink to be taking swimming lessons in an outdoor pool, as indicated in the illustrations.
Young readers with a fondness for amphibians will jump all over this one. (Fiction. 6-8)Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6140-3
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Dec. 25, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2013
Baker (Big Fat Hen, 1994, etc.) engages in more number play, posing ducklings in every combination of groups, e.g., “Splashing as they leap and dive/7 ducklings, 2 plus 5.” Using a great array of streaked and dappled papers, Baker creates a series of leafy collage scenes for the noisy, exuberant ducklings to fill, tucking in an occasional ladybug or other small creature for sharp-eyed pre-readers to spot. Children will regretfully wave goodbye as the ducks fly off in neat formation at the end of this brief, painless introduction to several basic math concepts. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-292858-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
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