What is Round? (Harper Growing Tree) [Hardcover]

Maria (Illustrator) Ferrari (Author), Rebecca Kai Dotlich (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up | Series: Harper Growing Tree

For children learning to recognize circles and other round shapes, this lyrical poem with photographs identifies a variety of familiar objects.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-The garbanzo beans on the first spread of this concept book are a good indication of the quality of this title-a little lopsided at best. The book explores things that are round through a poem and full-color photographs. The objects are named in the text and shown against vividly painted backgrounds, giving children the chance to focus on each one. The final spread is a guessing game in the "I Spy" (Scholastic) fashion, where youngsters can find round objects in a selection of other items. Unfortunately, some of the featured objects are not really or not always round-a bell, garbanzo beans, a belly button, the moon. Dotlich's text is uneven as well. Sentences and rhymes do not flow smoothly from page to page, and the poem can be unwieldy, as items are strung together without a natural ending point. Ferrari's photographs, however, are bright and uncluttered, perfect for attracting the attention of preschoolers. While this would be a good additional purchase for concept-book collections, Tana Hoban's Round and Round and Round (Greenwillow, 1983; o.p.) is a better introduction to the circles of our world.
Susan Marie Pitard, Weezie Library for Children, Nantucket Atheneum, MA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Bright full-color photographs, featuring bold objects and dramatic contrasts, characterize this first book about shapes in the Growing Tree series. Dotlich's text is comprised of the names of objects, forming a rhyming catalog of items for children to point to: ``Tangerines, garbanzo beans, a button on a belly! A bubble, a bead, a bagel, a ball, the lid from a jar of jelly.'' Alliterative sounds are pleasingly grouped together, and against the vibrant hand-painted backgrounds, sizes are cleverly juxtaposeda grape stands next to a globe, a pea is dwarfed by a pancake. An invitation on the final spread``What else is ROUND? Your turn to try!''sends toddlers through a spread of familiar objects that are either round or square. An expertly executed precursor to the I Spy books and their kind. (Picture book. 1-3) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 21 pages
• Publisher: HarperFestival (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0694012084
• ISBN-13: 978-0694012084
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,379,655 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, fun, fun!, March 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: What is Round? (Harper Growing Tree) (Hardcover)

A great concept book that is refreshingly original and highly imaginative. What is round? Garbanzo beans? A lid on a jelly jar? Your little one will be delighted at all of the intriguing items --and then off to find their own things that are round!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a "round" of applause, June 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: What is Round? (Harper Growing Tree) (Hardcover)

With a beat that's infectious and photographs that are vivid and juicy, the concept of what is "round" will come alive in the hands of toddlers. The text begs to be read aloud and the invitation at the end encourages young explorers to look closely at their surroundings for other round objects, including spheres, which last time I checked, were round. Like Dotlich's other titles, this is a wonderful choice for a family bookshelf.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 18 month olds love this book, August 22, 2008

By 

Samantha Cooper - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What is Round? (Harper Growing Tree) (Hardcover)

As one reviewer mentioned, this may not be the best book for teaching kids the meaning of round. But it is nonetheless a wonderful, beautiful book which my twin 18 month olds loved from the first time I read it. I read them the book at least five times a day for weeks.

The pictures are pretty. The pages are sturdier than a normal hardcover book, so it was a good first non-board book for the kids.

Really, really nice book. It's on the top of my list to buy as a gift.