Product Description

A little girl's neighborhood becomes a discovery ground of things round, square and rectangular. Many of the objects are Asian in origin, other universal: round rice bowls and a found pebble, square dim sum and pizza boxes, rectangular Chinese lace and very special pencil case. Bright art accompanies this lively introduction to shapes and short glossary explains the cultural significance of the objects featured in the book. Perfect for read-alouds or one-on-one sharing.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #311598 in Books
• Published on: 2000-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780811826761
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Debut author Thong cleverly uses a concept book to celebrate Chinese culture. "Round is a mooncake/ Round is the moon/ Round are the lanterns/ outside my room," explains the unnamed young heroine as she takes the reader on a tour of her neighborhood, where circles, squares and rectangles abound. Lin's (The Ugly Vegetables) full-bleed, double-page gouache pictures, radiant with traditional Chinese colors and patterns, offer a witty melange of the old and new, the cultural and the universal, the everyday and (for most of the audience, anyway) the exotic. A family feasts on pizza and dim sum, both of which come in square boxes; her father talks on his rectangular cell phone while the narrator practices the ancient art of ink writing using a rectangular inking stone and paintbrush rack. A brief glossary on the final page explains the meaning and role of Asian words and things that appear in the book. Tipping its hat to both the melting pot and ethnic pride, this makes an enchanting primer for children of all backgrounds. Ages 2-5. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-K-This concept book prompts children to look at circles, squares, and rectangles through the eyes of a Chinese girl. The rhyming text describes things like dim sum, inking stones, lucky money, and an abacus as they relate to the various shapes. The last page defines unfamiliar terms. The rhymes, at times perfectly structured but sometimes somewhat forced, lack a consistent beat, which makes this a challenging read-aloud. "Round is a mooncake/Round is the moon/Round are the lanterns/outside my room/Round is a pebble/that I found/A bowl of goldfish/that make no sound." The illustrations, brilliantly colored gouache paintings outlined in black, are large, crisp, and inviting. A useful purchase for young patrons interested in Chinese culture.
Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 2-6. This enchanting book provides a gentle lesson in shapes (circle, square, and rectangular) as well as culture. In simple rhyme, Thong follows an Asian American girl who muses about the shapes she sees in her urban neighborhood. Exploring her home and surroundings, she points out the objects that are commonly recognized as well as those that are culturally specific--a round mooncake, Chinese lanterns, rice bowls, a checkerboard--and invites audiences to identify or think about the shapes of objects in their own lives. Lin's gouache paintings are bright and arresting, presenting scenes that have an interest beyond shape identification. The glossary, which fills in cultural details, will be very useful. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

gorgeous!
Fabulous. This book reminds me of San Francisco. The colors in the art are breathtaking--this is a great book to introduce Asian culture, while also teaching shapes!

Wonderful book!
My daughter is from China, so combining the Chinese cultural lessons with learning about shapes was "double the fun"! She loves the illustrations and the story and enjoys looking for more shapes in the pictures by herself. This has become one of her favorites, along w/all the other books that have been written and/or illustrated by Grace Lin. It's a fun teaching tool for learning about shapes... I was a little surprised, however, that they did circles, squares and rectangles, but no triangles... Overall though, it's a great book!

sweet shape book
this is a nice book just as a shape book but also for the chinese and american objects - nice combinations of pizza and dim sum in the square section. all kids will recognize shapes and be introduced to new objects. we're using it for a family literacy night highlighting diversity - it's short enough and interactive.