Title: Round
Author: Joyce Sidman (illustrations by Taeeun Yoo)
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2017)
Age: 3-7 years
Lexile Reading Level: n/a
Awards: Best Books of the Year (School Library Journal), more awards to come!
Review:
Round is a simple book. But there can be an elegance to simplicity and Round has it in spades. Sidman's words are a poem that is a joy to read both introspectively and out loud. The book is essentially an ode to round things - from the most simple to the most complex. For example, she writes about how the moon shows itself, "night after night, rounder and rounder, until the whole sky holds its breath." And then the next page she turns her gaze inwards: "I can be round, too. In a circle of friends with no one left out." At the very end of the book Sidman devotes two pages to the question: Why are so many things in nature round? Her answers - round is cozy, sturdy, it spreads out, etc. - all have brief explanations. These explanations are so wonderful! Some are incredibly basic while others are more detailed but in a way that a preschooler could still understand them. Speaking of, this book would be an excellent choice for a preschool storytime or even a K-2 classroom. It is, essentially, a nonfiction book disguised as a picture book. It is instantly accessible and would be enjoyed by all.
There is a childlike quality to the artwork that works. At first I wanted more. Part of that is because I was coming off of writing/reviewing Katherine Roy's How to Be an Elephant and others - books where the artwork demands attention. Books where the artwork is, arguably, just as important as the text. But, after several re-reads, I think the art fits. It is gentle. Peaceful. The harsh edges & brushstrokes are rounded away. This is a book for a young child to treasure and I think the artwork is a part of that. It's comfortable and reassuring. All in all, it's a lovely book and one I look forward to reading at my storytimes and to my own children.
1. Now - Antoinette Portis
2. Ask Me - Bernard Waring
3. Life - Cynthia Rylant
All three of my suggested pairings share one major thing in common with Round: self-reflection. Each book inspires the reader (and listener) to think. Now makes you think about all the wonderful things around you, what your favorites are, and serves as a great reminder to enjoy the moment. Ask Me is a personal favorite about a father and daughter taking a simple walk through their neighborhood on a fall day. It echoes Now's sentiments about the joy of the moment and brings tears to my eyes nearly every time I read it. Life - like Round, published in 2017 - is a rather profound picture book that uses animals and their lives as an impetus for our introspection. These three books are a mix of fiction and nonfiction but I think that is okay with a book like Round that straddles a fine line between the two worlds.
Suggested Activities:
The easy activity to do with Round is to explore things that are, you guessed it, round. You could build a very fun storytime or preschool lesson around round. (Throw in Press Here! as a readalike - which is all about touching little round dots.) Or it could be part of a bigger look at shapes in general. But, as reflected in my recommended pairings, I think you could go a little deeper with the book and explore what it makes the reader/listener think/feel. Finally, Sidman's explanation at the end of her book about why things in nature are round is incredibly useful for librarians and teachers. It could be the impetus for a deeper look at things in nature that are round or, more generally speaking, why animals and plants in nature are the way they are.
Review:
Round is a simple book. But there can be an elegance to simplicity and Round has it in spades. Sidman's words are a poem that is a joy to read both introspectively and out loud. The book is essentially an ode to round things - from the most simple to the most complex. For example, she writes about how the moon shows itself, "night after night, rounder and rounder, until the whole sky holds its breath." And then the next page she turns her gaze inwards: "I can be round, too. In a circle of friends with no one left out." At the very end of the book Sidman devotes two pages to the question: Why are so many things in nature round? Her answers - round is cozy, sturdy, it spreads out, etc. - all have brief explanations. These explanations are so wonderful! Some are incredibly basic while others are more detailed but in a way that a preschooler could still understand them. Speaking of, this book would be an excellent choice for a preschool storytime or even a K-2 classroom. It is, essentially, a nonfiction book disguised as a picture book. It is instantly accessible and would be enjoyed by all.
There is a childlike quality to the artwork that works. At first I wanted more. Part of that is because I was coming off of writing/reviewing Katherine Roy's How to Be an Elephant and others - books where the artwork demands attention. Books where the artwork is, arguably, just as important as the text. But, after several re-reads, I think the art fits. It is gentle. Peaceful. The harsh edges & brushstrokes are rounded away. This is a book for a young child to treasure and I think the artwork is a part of that. It's comfortable and reassuring. All in all, it's a lovely book and one I look forward to reading at my storytimes and to my own children.
Recommended Pairings:
2. Ask Me - Bernard Waring
3. Life - Cynthia Rylant
All three of my suggested pairings share one major thing in common with Round: self-reflection. Each book inspires the reader (and listener) to think. Now makes you think about all the wonderful things around you, what your favorites are, and serves as a great reminder to enjoy the moment. Ask Me is a personal favorite about a father and daughter taking a simple walk through their neighborhood on a fall day. It echoes Now's sentiments about the joy of the moment and brings tears to my eyes nearly every time I read it. Life - like Round, published in 2017 - is a rather profound picture book that uses animals and their lives as an impetus for our introspection. These three books are a mix of fiction and nonfiction but I think that is okay with a book like Round that straddles a fine line between the two worlds.
Suggested Activities:
The easy activity to do with Round is to explore things that are, you guessed it, round. You could build a very fun storytime or preschool lesson around round. (Throw in Press Here! as a readalike - which is all about touching little round dots.) Or it could be part of a bigger look at shapes in general. But, as reflected in my recommended pairings, I think you could go a little deeper with the book and explore what it makes the reader/listener think/feel. Finally, Sidman's explanation at the end of her book about why things in nature are round is incredibly useful for librarians and teachers. It could be the impetus for a deeper look at things in nature that are round or, more generally speaking, why animals and plants in nature are the way they are.
Hi Rob,
ReplyDeleteI loved your review and activities, but especially how your read-alikes encourage self-reflection, and taking the time to think and ponder. A mini-lesson in mindfulness that I can't wait to try! Do you mind if I "borrow" your storytime?