Watch This!: A Book About Making Shapes

PreS-Gr 2–In this inviting concept book, children use their bodies to make different shapes. Brilliantly clear, eye-catching photographs showcase gross motor skills in action: “Luisa can make a circle with her arms.” The performance portraits pop against bold colors like orange, green, and yellow, and the featured shape is highlighted in painted background patterns. Some shapes can be made individually (“Jasmine can make a little triangle with her fingers”), and others take teamwork (a rectangle is made with four friends lying down, positioned head to toe). Different camera angles and perspectives are artfully used to great effect, like the aerial shot of five kids sitting with straight legs out to make a star shape. The cheery, conversational text encourages children not only to recognize shapes in their world but also to make connections between themselves and others, and playfully prompts more abstract thinking (“I know, let’s make up some new shapes of our own”). The personalities of the 12 diverse participants shine through, and their portraits and names are introduced in the front matter.