Have you ever wondered why it's important for preschoolers and toddlers to learn their shapes? I mean, of course it is. But why? Learning shapes is important for pre-reading and pre-math. As kids are learning to read, their foundational knowledge in shapes will help them to distingush between different letters. Letters are made of shapes and lines, and kids who can distinguish between shapes will be ready to distinguish between letters as well! Here are some great shape books to read with your baby, toddler, or preschooler to work on their skills!
By Sven Völker
London: Cicada Books, Ltd. 2025. Picture book.
This interactive picture book invites readers to think about shapes like they never have before -- at the Museum of Shapes! The curator of our shape museum, named Alma, shows us all kinds of shapes starting with the simplest - a single point. As we wander through the museum, the shapes become more complex. The unseen narrator of this book prompts questions about where else readers might see shapes in their day to day life - a perfect model for caregivers to follow!
By Sanae Ishida
Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2022. Board book.
A board book full of silly Sumo wrestlers with eye-catching colorblock images is sure to be a hit. This book is full of all kinds of shapes, in all kinds of places - like behind a fan, or in a bowl of soup. As a bonus, this book has the names of each shape in both English and Japanese -- in hiragana characters and in the latin alphabet. This is great practice for older kids to look for shapes in letters.
By Tana Hoban
New York: Greenwillow Books, 1986.
This book is a prime example of an oldie but a goodie. Black and white photographs of cityscapes, still lives, portraits, and household objects give kids a chance to find geometric and abstract shapes. Perfect for preschoolers, this book will help young readers to see the shapes all around them and learn to look in unusual places for shapes.
First Friends: Shapes
Written by Mk Smith Despres
Written by Mk Smith Despres
Illustrated by Aaya Watanabe
Concord, MA: Barefoot Books, 2024. Board Book.
This board book doubles as a seek and find book, with rhyming text that encourages young readers to look for shapes hidden throughout the illustrations. The story of this book follows a group of a group of day care friends as they play, clean-up, and prepare for circle time. All while finding shapes! The colorful illustrations in this book are engaging and a fun way to recognize lots of different shapes.
By Carter Higgins
San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2023. Picture book.
Leave it to Carter Higgins to assemble a colorful, engaging, thought-provoking concept book for young readers. This book is great for toddlers and for preschoolers are moving on from shape identification and are ready for higher level concepts like sorting and classification. Filled with rhyming text that begs to be read aloud, and collage style illustrations, this concept book is sure to be a favorite for kids and adults.
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