Circle, square, moose by Kelly Bingham

Ill. by Paul O. Zelinksy. Andersen Press, 2015. ISBN 9781783441860
(Age: Preschool - K) Books for preschoolers about shapes are not uncommon but rarely are they as quirky and as much fun to explore as this one. Each shape in the book is linked to an everyday item but each explanation is invaded by a moose with a selfie fetish. The narrator keeps telling Moose that he is in the wrong book but Moose refuses to leave, even when Zebra tries to chase him away and causes chaos as he does. The narrator tries valiantly to carry on but the story is hijacked.
One of the hallmarks of a quality picture book is if you can hear yourself reading it aloud as you read it alone and this is one of those. Another hallmark is if you can imagine the child's reaction as the pages are turned and this is one of those. This is a way of teaching shapes that will remain with the child for a long time especially if you encourage them to put themselves in the narrator's place and get them to suggest and draw other items that could have been used and how Moose might have got himself into them.
Early childhood teachers will love this one!
Barbara Braxton