Shape Books that Think Outside the Box (Picture Book Edition)

A few weeks ago, I introduced you to my favorite board books that teach shapes in creative ways. And those are a great place to start, especially for toddlers. But sometimes your preschoolers need more shape practice as well, and they want real picture books, not board books. So, here are my favorite shape books for preschoolers.

Apples and Robins by Lucie Felix–This is a simple, yet very clever, shape book. The dye-cut pages transform simple shapes into robins, ladders, apple trees, and bird houses. There’s even a bit of a story woven in.

Round is a Tortilla and Round is a Mooncake by Roseanne Thong–These two books both beautifully weave together an introduction of shapes with an introduction to Latino and Chinese culture and language.

Have You Seen My Monster? by Steve Light–As a child searches the county fair for her monster, she encounters various shapes. The illustrations are in black and white except for the shapes which are highlighted in color. Your child will enjoy looking for the monster on each page and counting the shapes. This book also goes beyond the basic shapes to include more complex shapes like a rhombus, octagon, and ellipse.

Perfect Square by Michael Hall–A perfect square is transformed each day of the week into something new. This fun book is sure to bring out the creativity in your kids.