About the Holiday
During April we celebrate National Poetry Month, but poetry comes in so many shapes and sizes, genres and presentations that today is set aside to honor both the poets and artists that interpret our world. Sounds like the perfect definition of a poetry picture book! With its rhymes and rhythms and ability to embody emotions from serious to humorous, poetry is often the first type of literature little ones hear. There are so many wonderful collections of poetry for children as well as picture books written in rhyme to share with kids. Today, stop by your local bookstore or library and check some out! And don’t forget to ask about this new book that will be rolling onto shelves soon!
Written by Barbara Kanninen | Illustrated by Serge Bloch
An achoo! started it all. Well,,, it certainly got the circle rolling. And once circle was on the move, he passed up Oval and solid Square, rolled through the legs on which “Rectangle stands” and up the ramp where “triangle points without any hands.” When Circle came down on Triangle’s point, he popped and rained down “as tiny bits, which land on Square as it sits.”
That cold—or whatever—must be catching because suddenly Square sneezes, blowing Diamond into Star, who end-over-end stumbles into straight Line, crumpling him like an up-and-down graph. But those clever friends just see a slide and so one-by-one those happy “shapes glide…” Oh no! “And fly…and collide!”
Oval, Rectangle, Triangle, Diamond, and Star toss and tumble in a swirling mess until Octagon knows just what to do. The reeling stops, and the shapes untangle. Circle is still a mass of dots, but “Heart appears and gathers bits.” Everyone helps put circle together, and after a check for any left holes, “ready, set…Circle rolls!”
Barbara Kanninen’s poetic story is as infectious as that sneeze that sets the shapes in motion in a domino effect that will have little ones laughing more and more with each mishap. As the shapes fly through the air tumbling and tossed, the images of the rectangle, diamond, oval, triangle and star at topsy-turvy angles provides an opportunity for adults to discuss the nature and recognition of shapes and to point out how they remain true even if not presented in the “usual” way.
Children knowledgeable about stop signs will be happy to recognize Octagon’s role and join in stopping the shapes’ shenanigans. Introducing Heart as the peace-maker and healer is a nice touch and offers a gentle lesson on kindness and cooperation for the youngest readers. You can bet that as Circle gets rolling again, the story will get a second, third, or… reading.
Serge Bloch’s expressive, glasses-wearing shapes demonstrate their surprise and dismay at the ruckus caused by circle who, despite the cause, seems to be enjoying his somersaulting until he is scattered like a popped balloon by hitting Triangle’s point. Also populating this town of over-sized shapes are tiny sketched-in people who hold the ramp for Circle, open umbrellas as he rains down on them, offers a hanky to sneezing Square, and take part in all the events. They even send an ambulance to the scene of the accident. Kids will love narrating this charming substory that shows the power and caring of community.
Circle Rolls would make a terrific gift (maybe even paired with a set of blocks) for little ones and a go-to book for home and classroom libraries for fun story times and playtimes.
Ages 3 – 5
Phaidon Press, 2018 | ISBN 978-0714876306
To learn more about Serge Bloch, his books, and his art, visit his website.
Poetry and the Creative Mind Day Activity
Fun Shape Pages
Even little ones love making up stories and poems! These two printable shape pages can inspire story time and playtime and a mix of the two!
- Color the page and then tell a story about who lives inside.
- Color and add faces to the shapes then cut out them out and use them to make up stories or even a poem.
- You can also make the shapes from felt or fleece and use another sheet of felt as a background to place them on. Then see what kinds of shenanigans those shapes can get into. You might even want to act out Circle Rolls!
Picture Book Review