  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 09/01/2017 PreS-Gr 2—Circle and Square's close friendship of many years hits a snag when a new student joins their class; neither is ready for the addition or the change in their relationship. Cheery, orange, "bold and exciting" Triangle creates a wedge between the two pals. It's difficult for either to avoid his magnetic energy and new ideas—a craving for pizza or a bit of reading about the shape of boat sails, mountains, and the Egyptian pyramids. Within a short period of time, "everything seemed to become triangular." Strategic placement of eyes or glasses with squiggly lines on cartooneish faces within simple geometric shapes highlight a range of emotions for each personality as jealousies arise to a crisis point. While art emphasizes the geometric differences between the friends and their shapes, text adds humor through wordplay: "Everything became pointless"; "Square tried a different angle"; and their "friendship took on a shape of its own." VERDICT A cautionary tale for young readers, this book gives new insight into developing relationships while bringing new acquaintances into a friendship circle. A solid general purchase for all libraries.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 09/15/2017 Ever since they were a dot and a speck, Circle and Square have been best friends, each appreciating the other’s best qualities. Then Triangle arrives and everything goes awry: Circle develops a taste for triangular pizza; Square becomes fascinated by pyramids; and jealousy permeates everyone’s mood. Triangle attempts to broker peace, but the warring shapes pull him into a two-dimensional line, which spurs Circle and Square to mend fences finally. Colleen’s gentle parable brims with clever language (especially puns) that keeps the tone light and prevents didacticism. Shea’s simple geometric characters sport expressive faces, and color-coded dialogue adds detail to the main narrative. On one page, for example, Circle shares a favorite basketball book, Square inquires about Egyptian pyramids, and Triangle spouts wordless thought bubbles filled with three-sided shapes. Young listeners are sure to empathize with this common friendship predicament, and while the solution feels a bit far-fetched (Triangle regains his shape in a slingshot ride), the resulting camaraderie is sure to please. As Triangle concludes, “we make quite a trio.” - Copyright 2017 Booklist. Loading...
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