This simple picture book contains some pretty big concepts around making decisions, staying safe and working together. We have three sets of child characters, Circles, Squares and Triangles, who are only referred to collectively. There are no individuals here, except Rectangle, the responsible adult figure. When the rain stops falling and the shapes go out to play, each group decides to do different activities. Throughout, the reader is asked questions that prompt them to suggest what the shapes might do next, inviting engagement with the characters. And, when the shapes face problems and peril, the reader is asked to think about how they might get out of their respective scrapes. The illustration style is sweetly naive - neatly-coloured-in shape characters, simple landscapes, a big, beaming sun that looks as though it were drawn by a child (keep a close eye on the changing "tree of wonders”). Though simple, the characters’ faces are expressive - a range of emotions are conveyed through variations in their mouth-shapes and eyes. At the end of the book, questions prompt readers to practice their memory, counting, colour and shape identification skills alongside discussion of the book’s themes. Not so much a narrative-driven story for children to read alone, this is a book to read aloud as little ones pay attention to the details on the page, their empathy sparked by the characters.
Joanne Owen, A LoveReading4Kids Ambassador
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