Review - Tangled: A Story About Shapes

Tangled: A Story About Shapes
by Anne Miranda
illustrated by Eric Comstock
Date: 2019
Publisher: Simon Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

From award-winning author Anne Miranda comes a rollicking rhyming story about an unruly gang of sixteen geometric shapes who get tangled in the neighborhood jungle gym until their friend comes to their rescue and order is restored. Perfect for fans of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!

One day a little circle,
just as happy as could be,
got caught inside a jungle gym,
and couldn’t wiggle free.

When the neighborhood shapes go climbing on the park jungle gym the last thing they expect is a tangle. First the circle, next the triangle and then the square. One by one soon all sixteen shapes are trapped. They push and pull and tumble and cry for help. Who will save them? One special shape can set the others free. Can you guess which one it is? This charming story makes learning the names of sixteen shapes as easy as a day in the park.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Who knew simple shapes could be so entertaining?

The synopsis compares this book to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, but I actually like Tangled more. It's about problem solving, as well as friendship, and as a bonus, readers get to learn the names of a variety of shapes. (If you don't know what a tetrahedron is, you will after reading this book!)

The pictures are simple, featuring anthropomorphized shapes in a limited colour palette. They're not the most sophisticated illustrations, but they work great with this subject matter.

Overall, this is a fun book with great rhymes, fun pictures, and some education thrown in for good measure. If you like the premise of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, you might like this book, too.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.29 out of 5