Blue and Square; Yellow and Round

These board books about shapes are highly original and challenging. They have the shape punched through, with the last page as a backdrop. The author plays with the shapes on each page. A stick person with a square body and head leans jauntily to the side of the square hole, or the hole punches through his body at a slant. A stick person with a round body and head has a centre hole, then a hole to one side, then a hole outside above and then below. The author plays with position and with mood. He uses colour and paint techniques to illustrate emotions in a very French way. Children might be intrigued by this. We have 'sad', a page grey and blue, and the square person drooping and weeping, then - guess the word - a bright yellow and red page, sparks flying, and a leaping, alive square person. Yes, 'happy'. The round person is below, then above, far and then near, ill and red with spots, and then yellow and bright when better. There is much here to discuss: What do you think this word says? What might the next page be about? Where is the person now? Have you ever felt like this? Could you paint an angry picture? What is square on this page? Both books are a rich stimulus for a range of ages.