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Shapes are a building block of elementary mathematics and picture books are a wonderful way to introduce this important concept. Check out these favorite books about shapes from Rosemary D’Urso, the Library Mom!
Books are a great way to not only introduce shapes but also teach children that the world around them is made out of shapes. Children can start to see how shapes can be combined to create everyday items.
11 Amazing Books About Shapes for Preschoolers
We hope you and your children have fun learning with these adorable books about shapes.
Happy reading!
Color Zoo
by Lois Ehlert, 1989
(Ages 2 – 4)
In this classic picture book, children will be amazed to see different animals formed with a variety of shapes stacked together. With each turn of the page, a new shape is highlighted using vivid colors and die-cut pages.
The final two-page spread presents all ten shapes together opposite boxes of colors making it easy to reinforce these two important concepts for children.
Big Box of Shapes
by Wiley Blevins; illustrated by Elliot Kreloff, 2016
(Ages 2 – 5)
When Lulu and Max discover a box of shapes, there is no end to their imagination as they combine the shapes to make new creations.
Lulu and Max exude curiosity and kindness as they share the shapes with each other and work as a team while they build.
Bright colors set against a white background make the shapes easily identifiable.
This cheerful book is a great way to introduce shapes to young children and inspire them to experiment with their own shapes.
Walter’s Wonderful Web
by Tim Hopgood, 2015
(Ages 2 – 5)
Walter, a determined little spider, builds his web into a variety of different shapes only to be blown away by the wind each time.
Finally, inspiration hits, and he combines all of the shapes to create a truly amazing web that withstands the mighty gusts of the wind.
This book not only provides a terrific introduction to shapes but also a nice lesson in persistence.
We Love Squares (Our Favorite Shapes series)
by Beatrice Harris, 2018
(Ages 2 – 5)
This nonfiction series pairs short, simple sentences with colorful photographs of everyday items in the clear form of a shape.
While I wish there was an introductory page describing the attributes of each shape first, this attractive nonfiction offering still successfully demonstrates that the world is made up of a variety of shapes.
This book is perfect for promoting a shape scavenger hunt around a classroom or home.
There are six books in this series highlighting the following shapes: circles, squares, triangles, diamonds, ovals, and rectangles.
Mouse Shapes
by Ellen Stoll Walsh, 2007
(Ages 2 – 5)
When three little mice hide from a cat in a pile of shapes, they discover that they can combine the shapes to make different objects.
A triangle and square quickly become a house, while a rectangle and a triangle form a tree, etc.
The brightly colored paper collages are very child-friendly and will inspire most children to cut or tear paper to create their own shapes.
Apples and Robins
by Lucie Felix, 2016
(Ages 2 – 6)
Children will delight in the beautiful die-cut illustrations of this innovative book.
Using vibrant colors that practically pop off the page, children are presented with several shapes including circles, rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, semi-circles, ovals, and squares.
The story itself focuses on an apple tree that is the home to a family of birds. Readers will travel through a seasonal journey as the shapes are combined to create familiar objects such as apples, ladders, a birdhouse, etc.
The transformation of the shapes by the die-cut pages gives the book a magical feel that children are going to love.
Circle Rolls
by Barbara Kanninen; illustrated by Serge Bloch, 2018
(Ages 3 – 6)
Filled with cheerful colors, rhyming text, amusing illustrations, and an action-packed storyline, this book is perfect for introducing shapes to children.
A sneeze causes a chain reaction of motion that highlights each shape’s attributes.
“Circle rolls, oval rocks, square sits like a box. Circle rolls, rectangle stands, triangle points without any hands.”
The playful illustrations use color and size to highlight the shapes while the inclusion of glasses and stick figure-like arms and legs gives them personality making this book entertaining and educational.
When a Line Bends…A Shape Begins
by Rhonda Gowler Greene; illustrated by James Kaczman, 1997
(Ages 3 – 6)
This excellent choice for storytimes uses rhyming text to explain the characteristics of 10 common shapes along with examples of the everyday items they form.
“An octagon has many sides. All counted, there are eight. You see it at the corner. It tells the cars to wait.”
This book is a lot of fun to read aloud and perfect for helping children become more familiar with various shapes.
Shape Shift
by Joyce Hesselberth, 2016
(Ages 3 – 6)
This inventive book introduces nine classic shapes and encourages readers to use their imagination to see everyday objects when the shapes are combined.
This book not only teaches shapes but also celebrates creativity. As an extra bonus, it demonstrates point of view, reminding children that there is not always a right or wrong answer.
This helps encourage children to take risks without worrying they might make a mistake.
The final double-page spread features additional combinations challenging readers, “What do you see?” It creates a perfect prompt for play-based learning.
Round is a Tortilla
by Roseanne Greenfield Thong; illustrated by John Parra, 2013
(Ages 3 – 6)
Like many books on shapes, this offering uses rhyming language to identify everyday objects made of shapes. What makes it stand apart, however, is its peek into the Hispanic culture.
Most of the Spanish words sprinkled into the text are easy to identify, but a glossary is located in the back to provide a translation and give more insight into the objects highlighted in the story.
This is a wonderful concept book that not only helps teach children about shapes but also the world around them.
Shapes That Roll
by Karen Nagel; illustrated by Steve Wilson, 2009
(Ages 4 – 8)
Rhyming text, bright colors, and glossy paper make this attractive offering almost irresistible to preschoolers. They will love following along as an anthropomorphic circle, triangle, and square lead them through an active world of shapes pointing out their different attributes.
While many of the shapes are not named in the main text, a two-page spread at the end introduces all of the shapes and invites readers to look through the book a second time to find them.
What’s your favorite book about shapes? Share your favorite shape books in the comments!
Rosemary D’Urso is a school librarian turned stay-at-home mom who constantly racks up late fines to read that perfect book with her kids just one more time. She spends her days going on adventures with her family, running, listening to audiobooks, and reviewing children’s books. She hopes her reviews will help parents and teachers find the best books for the children in their lives.
Discover your child’s next favorite book at her blog, Librarymom.com. Follow all of Rosemary’s reading adventures on Instagram, @librarymombooks.
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