Review by Booklist Review
Barnett and Klassen's Shape trilogy is completed with the arrival of Circle, who invites Square and Triangle for a game of hide-and-seek near (but not behind) her waterfall. Both agree, but, of course, Triangle disregards Circle's one rule and hides exactly where he shouldn't. Resigned, Circle enters the dark cave behind the falls to find her friend, venturing deeper and deeper until it's pitch black and all the reader sees are Circle's eyes in the darkness. Finally, another set of eyes appears, but when Triangle's voice comes from an entirely different part of the cave, Circle and Triangle bolt for the exit. Back in the safety of daylight, Circle ponders what the shape in the darkness might have been, inviting her friends and readers to do the same. In typical Barnett-Klassen style, humor and light philosophical musings mingle to form a story that will entertain children and adults alike. Because much of the story takes place in darkness, readers are called upon to use their imaginations, making this oddball friendship tale an off-kilter treat. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: If you don't order extra copies of this dynamic duo's latest, their fans will get bent out of shape.--Julia Smith Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Square and Triangle have had their turns. Now, in the final volume of Barnett and Klassen's shapes trilogy, Circle's the hero. She suggests a game of hide-and-seek and warns Square and Triangle not to hide behind her waterfall, a bright new addition to Klassen's landscape of burnished textures. Sneaky Triangle, of course, heads behind the waterfall anyway, and Circle journeys deep into its inky recesses to retrieve the shape. It's so dark that she disappears into the black, her white eyes all that remains on the page. Out of the darkness stares another set of eyes. But they're not Triangle's, and the entity behind them doesn't speak; Circle and Triangle bolt. In the daylight again, Circle reconsiders, wondering if the shape might have been good. "What kind of shape was it?" she reflects. Barnett ends with a question for readers: "If you close your eyes, what shape do you picture?" Something that seems scary at first, Barnett suggests, might turn out to be just another shape to get to know. Circle's story offers a moment of genuine fright; watching Circle consider other possibilities reminds readers that calm analysis can master fear. Ages 5-9. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Square and Triangle are back with a new adventure and their friend, Circle. In this story, Circle invites his pals to play a game of hide-and-seek near her waterfall. Circle's only rule is "no hiding behind the waterfall." It is dark, unknown, and scary behind the waterfall. But Triangle, who isn't scared of the dark, goes there, forcing Circle to follow into the dark unknown. Triangle is soon recovered, but they also meet another shape in the darkness. It might have been a good shape, it might have been a bad shape, but they could not see it. So they each close their eyes and imagine the shape it could be. If you close your eyes, what shape do you picture? The short sentence structure, quick-moving plot, and simple illustrations make this installment in the creators' shape trilogy just as much of a page-turner as the previous two books. VERDICT Sure to please fans of Square and Triangle, this entry is just as likely to draw in plenty of new readers, too. Recommended. -Elizabeth Blake, Brooklyn Public Library © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
While playing hide-and-seek outside, Circle (from Square, rev. 7/18; companion book to Triangle, rev. 5/17) has one firm rule: No hiding behind the waterfall. Square doesnt mind, but Triangle pushes back; and when Circle opens her eyes, Square is pointing, tattletale-like, in the direction of the waterfall. Behind the waterfallrendered simply and stunningly as a cascading, textured, icy-aqua sheetlies a cave; Circle enters, annoyed. It gets darker and darker, and Klassens graphite, watercolor, and digital illustrations respond accordingly (and remarkably), as shadows gradually obscure the scene; soon all we see is a pair of the illustrators trademark expressively drawn eyes. Then we see two pairs of eyes, and Circle lets loose: TriangleWhy do you always break all the rules?Why do you always spoil our fun?Why are you such a bad friend? Harsh, Circle! She apologizes right away, but now there are three pairs of eyeswith the third belonging to Triangle, standing behind Circle. Who was Circle yelling at? Freaked out, the friends flee the cave, the progression from dark to light in the art being just as impressive as on Circles way inback through the waterfall. Safely outside, Circle turns philosophical: You knowthat shape in the dark might not have been bad. It might have been a good shape. We just could not see it. The friends close their eyes to imagine what was in the cave, and Barnetts straightforward text invites readers to do the same: If you close your eyes, what shape do you picture? Subtle its not, but the message is highly entertaining in its delivery, and Klassens understated work with light (and the absence of it), shadow, and texture carries the story fullcircle. elissa gershowitz March/April 2019 p 56(c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Circle, Square, and Triangle play a game together with surprising results.The three shapes are friends. Illustrator Klassen's watercolor, graphite, and digitally created illustrations are evocative in their muted palette and spare presentation, the shapes drawn simply, with white, rounded-off oblongs for eyes whose black pupils move back and forth to show action and emotion. One day, Circle suggests a game of hide-and-seek and tells her friends not to hide behind the waterfall, because it is dark. When Circle finishes counting, Square has not moved; he tells Circle, "Triangle went behind the waterfall." Circle goes to find him, and as she delves deeper, the double-page spreads darken to solid black until only Circle's white oblong eyes are shown. She sees one set of eyes and begins to upbraid Triangleand then a third set. Turns out that is the set that belongs to Triangle, and when the two realize they don't know the other, they rush away in a fright. Safely back in the open, Circle wonders what shape was in the dark and, reflecting on her fear, realizes that the shape wasn't necessarily "bad" just because she couldn't see it. While the implied message of the story is a vital one in this xenophobic age and its subtle delivery and imagery encourage further exploration, the story's final page veers off, asking readers to picture a shape rather than delivering a conclusion. Worthy and allusive but with a possibly frustratingly oblique ending. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
