Round by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

Before I review this I have to explain that this book was basically written for me. I collect bowls. They have to have the right kind of bowliness though. I love round things. This is a book about the beauty of roundness.

Sidman's simple, poetic text celebrates the beauty of circles in the natural world, "I love to see round things grow. Some start out round...like a seed/or an egg, waiting to hatch."

Yoo's illustrations really make the book though, showing a small, curious child and her father exploring the world. He's never far away and always ready to listen to her discoveries, but she is allowed to delight in her sense of wonder and find things on her own. Rich greens, glowing yellows, warm oranges, and cool blues swirl across the pages in an explosion of color and delight.

This would be perfect for a storytime celebrating nature, round things, or exploring with parents. The book will spark discussion on observation, finding more round things in the world around us, or discovering the things pictured in the book like bubbles, rocks, and sunflowers. Use it to spark art and science projects, or just to curl up for a cozy story in the evening. Bonus points for the depiction of an Asian child and her father, a pairing not often seen in picture books.

Verdict: A strong addition to any picture book collection. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9780544387614; Published 2017 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Borrowed from another library in my consortium