ROUND IS A TORTILLA

This charming concept book will engage readers and help them recognize shapes in everyday objects.

Beautiful rose-colored endpapers draped with a festive, lacy banner lead readers into a book that is a celebration of both shapes and Hispanic culture. Thong uses simple rhymes (“Rectangles are carts / with bells that chime / and cold paletas / in summertime”) to introduce shapes and Spanish words whose meanings—if not apparent from the illustrations—can be derived from the glossary. Parra’s vibrant colors and geometric, folksy art help readers recognize shapes in both the book and the world around them. Intricate spreads offer an abundance of details observant readers will appreciate. The art and text generally complement each other, though some spreads may require an additional bit of work to understand (tacos are used as examples of a round shape, while being properly depicted as folded tortillas filled with deliciousness; the metates are said to be in the casa but are shown in the backyard). Bird’s-eye views depict a lovely diversity of skin color, but close-up portraiture is less strikingly differentiated.

Nevertheless, this book will teach readers about more than basic shapes thanks to both its use of Spanish words and the inclusion of Hispanic cultural elements.