📖 Overview
Round objects appear everywhere in the natural world and human creations. Joyce Sidman's picture book explores circles, spheres, and curves through observations and poetic language.
The text moves between scientific facts and lyrical descriptions, examining roundness in seeds, planets, nests, and everyday objects. Illustrations by Yoo Taeeun complement the writing with detailed circular patterns and forms found in nature.
The book invites contemplation about the essential role of round shapes in both the universe's structure and human design. Through its blend of science and artistry, the work creates connections between cosmic cycles and familiar daily experiences.
👀 Reviews
Parents and educators praise this book for making geometry concepts accessible to young children through examples from nature and everyday life. Multiple reviewers noted how the simple rhyming text helps introduce complex mathematical ideas.
Readers liked:
- Clear, colorful illustrations that demonstrate round shapes
- Age-appropriate explanations
- Mix of scientific and poetic language
- Interactive elements encouraging kids to find circles in their environment
Readers disliked:
- Some found the text too basic for older elementary students
- Limited depth of mathematical concepts
- Price point high for length
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.22/5 (289 ratings)
Amazon: 4.8/5 (46 ratings)
Notable review quotes:
"Perfect for preschool STEM lessons" - School librarian on Goodreads
"My 3-year-old asks for this book daily and now points out spheres everywhere" - Parent reviewer on Amazon
"Beautiful but brief - wished for more content" - Teacher on Goodreads
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Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman Poems and facts explore the hidden life cycles and creatures in a pond ecosystem.
Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow by Joyce Sidman Riddle-poems present the interconnected relationships between plants and animals in meadow habitats.
Water Dance by Thomas Locker The water cycle unfolds through lyrical verses paired with nature paintings depicting water's different forms and movements.
Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman A collection of poems reveals how animals survive winter through scientific concepts and observations.
Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman Poems and facts explore the hidden life cycles and creatures in a pond ecosystem.
Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow by Joyce Sidman Riddle-poems present the interconnected relationships between plants and animals in meadow habitats.
🤔 Interesting facts
🌟 In this collection of 15 poems, Joyce Sidman explores how round shapes appear everywhere in nature, from tiny eggs to massive planets.
🌟 The book's illustrator, Taeeun Yoo, used both hand-drawn and digital techniques to create the artwork, incorporating linoleum block prints for added texture.
🌟 Joyce Sidman won the Newbery Honor Medal for her book "Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night," making her one of few poets to receive this prestigious award.
🌟 Each poem in "Round" is accompanied by scientific information presented in prose form, seamlessly blending poetry and nonfiction.
🌟 The book demonstrates mathematical concepts like spheres and circles through natural examples, making it a valuable cross-curricular resource for both science and language arts.