Welcome to my little Perfect Picture Book Friday reading corner! I’m so glad you stopped by! š
I know it’s not quite Valentine’s Day, but it’s coming soon and I found this lovely, engaging book that is also not quite Valentine’s Day, but could certainly qualify as an everyday Valentine š
Wait ’til you see!
Title: The Shape Of My Heart
Written By: Mark Sperring
Illustrated By: Alys Paterson
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA, December 2015, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 3-6
Themes/Topics: concepts (shapes), typical day, love, language (rhyme)
Opening: “This is the shape that we are.
The shape of you and me.
This is the shape of our eyes.
And these are the shapes we might see.”
Brief Synopsis: In the course of a typical child’s day, the story gives a glimpse of the many kinds of shapes that make up our world.
Links To Resources: take a walk around your house, the neighborhood, or the playground – what shapes do you see? Shapes Activities For Preschoolers; Shape Collage activity
Why I Like This Book: This is the kind of book I used to look for when my kids were little. It has a simple but elegant rhyming text that explores the many shapes in our world in fun language – not these are birds, but “and these are the shapes that chirp and tweet. . . and flitter-flutter by.” (So much more enjoyable! š) The story takes the reader through the day from the shape of the sun “coming up to brighten the day” to “This is the shape of the moon. And these are the shapes of the stars. . . And this is the shape I love you with. This is the shape of my heart.” (What an ending. So sweet!) The art is bright, colorful, and engaging and provides the perfect opportunity for young readers to explore every part of the page. They can identify vehicles and animals. You can ask them to point to the umbrella or the popsicle, or ask them what sound a truck or a lion makes. The text invites them to make connections (“something savory” they can see is cheese, and “something sweet” they can identify as strawberries, and “this is the shape we come back to at the end of every day” encourages them to supply that it’s home.) A delightful read for any time of day when kids want to interact and participate, but also a sweet and soothing recap at bedtime that ends with the gentle reassurance of how much they are loved. This one is a keeper š
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do š
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out š) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Stay warm and safe from the snow! š
Susanna Leonard Hill 
This is a wonderful book, Susanna. And I absolutely love all the activities and resources.
What a creative and engaging way to explore shapes in the environment. The ending is perfect.
What a lovely story! So heartfelt. Exactly the kind of story I would’ve read to my children when they were little.
A perfect book for reading to littles!
I must give this book to a young great grandchild. It is such a creative way to explore the variety of shapes and colors in our world. Love the rhyming!
Oh, this looks so sweet, and I really appreciate how the author created a book with a nod to a specific holiday while keeping it universally appealing for the entire year. Thanks for the rec, Susanna!
Will have to suggest this for the store – love the presentation of shapes!
I love the more lyrical and interesting way to approach everything we see. I was glad to see all 7 copies on hold at my library. I’ll see it eventually.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Susanna:)
As you stated, this presents old ideas in a lyrical, fresh way.
Lots to explore and then a lovely way to bring it home:)
This seems like a great book to read & reread!
Thank you for sharing this “lovely” PB! I will be adding this to my collection! š