SHIP SHAPES

Blackstone takes a welcome departure from rhyming in her latest, a look at shapes. A boy and girl go to sea on a raft to see how many different shapes they can find. The duo encounters sailboats, a pirate ship, a steamboat, a sea monster, a fishing boat, a submarine and an island with buried treasure. Nine basic shapes are pictured and named on the first page and include a star, diamond, crescent and semi-circle. The text asks readers to find, identify or count the shapes of various objects found on the pages. The final page leaves readers with a too-subtle hint that they can search their own world for shapes: “Let’s have a look all around us / And count up the shapes we’ve been shown.” Bell’s artwork is a phenomenal display of needlework. The ocean is a patchwork quilt in shades and patterns of blues; bright colors abound and youngsters will especially enjoy the variety of sea creatures. An addition to the concepts shelf that stands out for its unique artwork. (Picture book. 2-5)