Love, Triangle

Circle and Square are best buddies: “Circle admired Square for all his good points,” writes Colleen (the Super Happy Party Bears series). “Square loved that his best friend really knew how to rock and roll.” But soon after Triangle arrives on the scene, Circle and Square are ditching each other and vying for his attention. “I’m suddenly craving pizza,” says Circle, gazing at Triangle like a fan boy and waving away Square’s offer of grilled cheese. Square and Circle may be plane figures, but the plaintiveness of their jealously and sense of abandonment is something any kid will recognize. The emotional sting is made tolerable thanks to the happy marriage of funny (and almost nonstop) geometric wordplay (“Circle and Square’s friendship was bent out of shape”) and Shea’s freewheeling cartooning. The story does lose its way at the climax, though, as Circle and Square (somehow) pull Triangle apart while fighting over him and (somehow) put him back together with a bit of research and a catapult. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Susan Hawk, Bent Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Oct.)