2021 was not our best year. After months of dealing with a massive chronic illness flare-up, I’m hoping to climb back on the blogging bandwagon and bring you some new book reviews in 2022.
Today’s featured book is TANGLED, written by Anne Miranda and illustrated by Eric Comstock.
In this whimsical story of shapes, a little circle finds herself trapped inside a jungle gym. Egad! Various shapes try to set her free, but after many shapes fail or get stuck themselves, a clever line uses a STEM solution to save the day.
What I love about it:
- Cheery, muted color palette
- Childlike line art paired with the cutest shapes you’ve ever seen
- Delightfully fun rhyme that rolls off the tongue – It’s not every day you find the word tetrahedron worked into a rhyming story!
- Education potential!
How to Use It in the Classroom or at Home:
Teach the Names and Characteristics of Various Forms: The most obvious use for a book about shapes is to…teach the shapes!
Here’s how I would do it…
STEP 1: Do a book preview to assess prior knowledge and make predictions.
Ask questions like:
Do you see any shapes you recognize on the cover? What are their names?
Based on the cover, what do you think the problem in the story might be?
Do you recognize any other shapes on the end papers and first few pages of the book? Name them!
Make a prediction – Will the shapes get free? If yes, how?
STEP 2: Read the whole book.
STEP 3: Check predictions: Was your prediction correct? Why or why not?
STEP 4: Go back and study the shapes. Point to various shapes and ask students to say the names if they know them.
Ask questions like:
What clues tell us this is a square?
How are a square and rectangle the same? Different?
Were there any shapes that were new for you? What are their characteristics?
Optional: (K-3) Make a shape portrait – Give each student a piece of paper or snag this printable FREEBIE! Tell them to draw a new shape they learned. Students should write the name of their shape at the bottom of their page. Students can also count and write the number of sides and angles in their shape.
Your turn! How do you teach shapes to your kiddos? Do you have any favorite shape books?