The Shape of You

Shapes become the vocabulary used to suggest a child’s experience of the world in this evocative picture book. From a rectangular door to a square kitchen table, geometric observations initiate the book’s conceit before text segues into subtlety with descriptions of the shapes made by light, thinking, wind, warmth, and more. Simple grammar yields philosophical meanings in Thi Van’s incantatory lines: “The shape of learning/ is a question.” Sato’s collages layer vibrant colors, textiles, and embroidery, successfully visualizing that which feels elusive. In one scene, a child and caregiver, who both cue as East Asian, snuggle beneath a blanket while reading: “The shape of a good story/ wraps around tight.” Another spread, responding to the notion that forms can change, presents a big and small hand clasping: “The shape of my fingers/ will always fit yours.” When a final shape centers love, it makes for a tender closing moment that encapsulates the story’s caring ethos. Ages 4–8. (May)