Sea Shapes
PreSchool-K-Familiar shapes such as circles, triangles, and stars are introduced through various sea creatures. On the verso of each double-page spread, the name of the shape is printed in clear letters; underneath it are four pictures that show a transition from the shape simply drawn to its counterpart on the animal. For example, a circle becomes the eye of a whale, a star becomes a starfish, and a triangle becomes a shark's tooth. On the recto is a sea scene that shows the animal in its habitat. The illustrations are bright and nicely composed. Done in cut-paper collage, they have clean lines and simple details, giving an uncluttered effect. However, some shapes are not readily apparent in the animals. The square turns into a skate with curved sides and a long tail. The heart must add a tail and fins to become a butterfly fish. Three pages of "Sea Facts" at the end of the book identify the animals and provide a little information about where and how they live. This title has limited value as a concept book, but young children will enjoy the attractive illustrations and learning about underwater life.Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VACopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.