Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes [Hardcover]

Roseanne Thong (Author), Grace Lin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

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.

Editorial Reviews

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.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (July 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811826767
• ISBN-13: 978-0811826761
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,143 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars gorgeous!, May 16, 2001

By 

AL "planetling" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes (Hardcover)

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!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book!, September 9, 2005

By 

Sharon Martovich (Southbury, CT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes (Hardcover)

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!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for older kids too, February 3, 2003

By 

Lady "lady-in-nj" (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes (Hardcover)

This is *not* a toddler only shape book at all! I read this to a mixed age 6-9 year old class & they got alot out of it. It was for Autumn Moon Festival but you cd/ do it for any China intro. I also passed around things from the book: a Chinese teacup with no handle, an abacus, a chop, the chop ink's square box was 'the box my cats sleep in' although mine were plastic tiger, panther & lion! Even if you had nothing I don't think it wd/ be difficult to buy a few cheaply at your local Asian food store or borrow things from friends & parents.