Circles, Stars and Squares by Jane Brocket - OPTIONAL

Brocket, Jane  Circles, Stars and Squares  Millbrook Press, 2013.  $26.60 PICTURE BOOK  Content: G.  

This is a book about shapes and it is divided into flat shapes, like circles, squares and triangles and solid shapes like spheres, cubes and cones.  Each page layout is about a specific shape and has colorful photographs to illustrate the shape.  The pictures used to show the shape are from real life (with a lot of the pictures showing quilts or crafts) and it encourages the reader to look for shapes everywhere in their world.  The shapes are explained in simple two to three sentence paragraphs.  This is unlike other books about shapes in that it shows both the flat and solid shapes.  Also, by using pictures that we find in our everyday living it makes shape more applicable to the reader.  I think this book could be used in an art classroom to discuss the difference between flat and solid shapes. Overall, it’s an interesting book.  

EL (K-3)(4-6)-OPTIONAL.

Spotty, Stripy, Swirly, What are Patterns by Jane Brocket - ADVISABLE

Brocket, Jane  Jane Brocket’s Clever Concepts: Spotty, Stripy, Swirly, What are Patterns  Millbrook Press, 2012.  $25.26  PICTURE BOOK  Content: G    

This is a book of photographs that explains what patterns are.  It asks the reader to find patterns inside buildings and outside in nature and explains how to make patterns.  I think this would be a fun book for an art class to show how we can make or find patterns in everyday items.  It would also be fun to do as a photography lesson and have students find patterns and take pictures of their finds.  The book is bright and colorful.  The explanation are simple, so that elementary kids can understand, but not so elementary that it couldn’t be used in a middle school classroom.   

EL (K-3)(4-6)-ADVISABLE.  MS-ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.