City Shapes

A young girl explores shapes in her urban environment while observing city life from rooftops and street level. The rhythmic text follows her journey through neighborhoods as she spots circles, squares, triangles and more in buildings, signs, and cityscapes. The story combines geometry concepts with a child's-eye view of bustling city streets and architecture. Each shape discovery leads to new observations about urban living and community. The narrative celebrates both mathematical learning and the vibrancy of city life through the lens of a curious child. This picture book approach to basic geometry makes abstract concepts tangible while highlighting the patterns and designs that surround us in built environments.

Readers appreciate this book's rhythmic text and geometric concepts presented through a city backdrop. Parents note it works well for ages 3-6 to learn shapes while exploring urban environments. Multiple reviews mention the detailed illustrations by Bryan Collier help children spot shapes in real-world settings. Liked: - Engaging rhyming verses that flow naturally - Artwork incorporating collage and watercolor - Cultural diversity represented in illustrations - Interactive "shape-hunting" aspect Disliked: - Some found the vocabulary advanced for toddlers - A few mentioned the urban setting limits broader appeal - Text density can be long for very young readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (238 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (89 ratings) Notable review quote from a teacher on Amazon: "The mixed media illustrations are stunning and my students love finding shapes hidden throughout the cityscape. Great for teaching both shape recognition and observation skills."

Round Is a Tortilla by Isabel Quintero A Mexican American girl discovers shapes in her neighborhood while celebrating her cultural heritage.

Perfect Square by Michael Hall A square transforms into different objects and scenes throughout the week.

Circle Under Berry by Carter Higgins Shapes stack, group, and interact to demonstrate spatial concepts and relationships.

Windows by Julia Denos A child walks through a neighborhood at dusk observing geometric patterns in windows and buildings.

Circle Rolls by Barbara Kanninen Shapes move through space demonstrating their physical properties and interactions with other forms.

🏙️ The book's illustrator, Bryan Collier, is a Caldecott Honor recipient known for his distinctive watercolor and collage technique. 🌆 Author Diana Murray often draws inspiration from her experiences living in New York City, which is reflected in the urban setting of "City Shapes." 📐 The book teaches geometry through everyday city scenes, showing how basic shapes like circles, squares, and triangles create the building blocks of urban architecture. 🎨 Through a young girl's exploration of her neighborhood, the story incorporates both concrete shapes (like windows and wheels) and abstract shapes found in shadows and reflections. 🌅 The book features changing light throughout the day, from morning to night, demonstrating how the same city shapes can look different as sunlight and shadows shift.