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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Ship Shapes



Stella Bl
ackstone & Siobhan Bell
Barefoot Books


This is a wonderfully engaging board book about shapes! Young readers will find it enormously fun to discover the objects hidden in the illustrations. Rectangles and squares are transformed into houses, triangles masquerade as sails, and fish are comprised of diamonds. There is a seemingly endless supply of shapes that are buried like treasures in the sea and surrounding town.


As evidenced by the interior photos above and below, the illustrations are beautifully bright, which is very attractive to young readers. For parents, it is fascinating to see how all the items are carefully crafted from materials. Small squares of blue patterned fabrics are sewn together into a patchwork of a sea, cream colored cottons make up the ship sails, and a host of bright materials form the fish.


The attention paid to details is what makes this book extra special. The result is an excellent tool for teaching children shape recognition. A shape chart on the first page details the nine shapes the readers should be looking for. Make shape learning fun for your toddler with this jewel of a book.

For a great gift, pair with . . .


Ship Shapes Opposites Puzzle from Mudpuppy. Teach children about opposites above and below the water with this two-sided nautical puzzle. The delightful illustrations match the book exactly. Sturdy, easily manipulated pieces make building pre-reading and fine motor skills fun! Nine double-sided pieces included. Finished puzzle measures 11 x 14 inches. $9.99
 

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