Review: Out of the mouth of a child
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 9, 2013
Sharon Didi has provided youngsters with a book that teaches shapes but it also teaches understanding and communication between parent and child.  It is colorful, well designed, and manages to accomplish its mission well.Max is by in kindergarten and he lesson for the day is learning shapes - circle, rectangle, square, triangle, heart, and oval.  When his mother comes to walk him home Max notices a necklace his mother calls a heart, but Max gently disagrees and tells her it is a circle.  On the walk home the mother (inexplicably) hasn't a clue about the right shape formations so Max has to constantly correct her. His mother is concerned she has forgotten shapes until they arrive home and a gift  (a square box) from the grandmother awaits Max - a game of shapes! Mother and Max agree they can both learn from it!  The next walk to school will be a practicing session - a `shape parade'.Despite that it seems odd that the mother would not be able to correctly identify basic shapes, it just may be Sharon Didi's platform for integrated learning.  The nice aspect is that during the process of Max teaching his forgetful mother shapes, there is still a sense of respect and mutual appreciation.  And that is one of the factors that makes this a healthy and fun book for children - the patience that helping forgetful parents with homework assignments is a virtue and a reward!  Grady Harp, May 13