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Museum Shapes
Introducing children to basic and complex shapes through the Metropolitan Museum's extensive and varied collections, this book features the work of a diverse range of artists. Each shape has two spreads. Full color.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published September 7, 2005
52 people want to read
About the author
Metropolitan Museum of Art
1,311 books51 followersThe Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, (colloquially, the “Met”) is the largest art museum in the United States.
It was founded on April 13, 1870, "to be located in the City of New York, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining in said city a Museum and library of art, of encouraging and developing the study of the fine arts, and the application of arts to manufacture and practical life, of advancing the general knowledge of kindred subjects, and, to that end, of furnishing popular instruction."
It was founded on April 13, 1870, "to be located in the City of New York, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining in said city a Museum and library of art, of encouraging and developing the study of the fine arts, and the application of arts to manufacture and practical life, of advancing the general knowledge of kindred subjects, and, to that end, of furnishing popular instruction."
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 23, 2022
One really nice for children.
May 24, 2018
As a book aimed at the preschool set, who are just learning their shapes, this book really is a failure. The book uses works of art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection to demonstrate each shape but in many cases the shapes are difficult to notice in the picture or are completely different than the shape that was shown (5 pointed star versus multi pointed star). I would never recommend this book for parents trying to teach shapes.
April 24, 2018
The purpose of this children’s book is as stated, a means of familiarizing children with shapes and encouraging them to identify these shapes in different contexts. Within Museum Shapes, a painting or part of a painting featured in The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection occupies the left hand of a two page spread and on the opposite side there is a question, “What shape…” The background of the question page is filled by a pattern of the shape featured in the image. The next page is subdivided on the right into four separate square cropped images of other artwork in the museum that features the shape. The words on each page are minimal and do not stand out much, focusing younger and older reader’s attention on beautiful artworks from the Met’s collection. At the end of the book, each of the art pieces, their artist, the medium, piece’s size and the bequest through which it was obtained is listed for each shape. This suggests that this book could be used as a guide when visiting the Met, or any other museum. For a child who asks “What should I do?” or mopes “This is boring” the identification of shapes in different contexts within artwork encourages on avenue for young children to appreciate and interact with art. This children’s book focuses on the visual connection between math, geometry, and art so it seems appropriate for young children and parents who want to encourage their children to connect lessons from school (such as lessons on shape identification) to outside contexts.
This book features mostly American and European artists though the book jacket suggests that the art featured is geographically diverse. There are some pieces of art from Japan, the Solomon Islands, India, and Uzbekistan, but this book would benefit from including a wider range of international artists in future publications and reprints. This book shows to a degree the pervasive obsession in America with a Western cannon that seeps beyond art and music and into the genre of Children’s Literature. Though this book brings in some international artists from continents besides North America and Europe, these references are far outweighed by the western works featured in this book. This book in part advertises the brand of the Metropolitan Museum of Art by appealing to young readers and parents who want their children to aesthetically appreciate art, but this book also shows places of critique within the structuring of the Met. This children’s book illustrates issues surrounding the implementation of multicultural and pluricultural policies that continue to plague institutions today. In this way children’s literature and this book specifically are able to highlight larger societal and systemic struggles taking place, demonstrating the legitimacy and complexity of the genre of children’s literature.
This book features mostly American and European artists though the book jacket suggests that the art featured is geographically diverse. There are some pieces of art from Japan, the Solomon Islands, India, and Uzbekistan, but this book would benefit from including a wider range of international artists in future publications and reprints. This book shows to a degree the pervasive obsession in America with a Western cannon that seeps beyond art and music and into the genre of Children’s Literature. Though this book brings in some international artists from continents besides North America and Europe, these references are far outweighed by the western works featured in this book. This book in part advertises the brand of the Metropolitan Museum of Art by appealing to young readers and parents who want their children to aesthetically appreciate art, but this book also shows places of critique within the structuring of the Met. This children’s book illustrates issues surrounding the implementation of multicultural and pluricultural policies that continue to plague institutions today. In this way children’s literature and this book specifically are able to highlight larger societal and systemic struggles taking place, demonstrating the legitimacy and complexity of the genre of children’s literature.
December 1, 2024
Informational, Preschool-2nd Grade
This book is so cool. It showcases everyday shapes that are showcased in art located within the metropolitan museum of art. I needed to find a book that showcased a circle in an interesting way and boom, this is it! Prince's, Aerial Ship. Star of the East!, is what I found. I will absolutely keep a copy of this clever book on my future classroom bookshelf, regardless of what grade level I'm teaching!
This book is so cool. It showcases everyday shapes that are showcased in art located within the metropolitan museum of art. I needed to find a book that showcased a circle in an interesting way and boom, this is it! Prince's, Aerial Ship. Star of the East!, is what I found. I will absolutely keep a copy of this clever book on my future classroom bookshelf, regardless of what grade level I'm teaching!
February 2, 2020
One of my favorites shapes books.
January 22, 2025
What a creative way to introduce classical art to the young!
October 16, 2012
Genre: Picture book: Concept
Summary: Museum Shapes presents beautiful works of art and encourages young students to look for the various basic shapes within the art.
Critique: (a.) The multi-level appeal of this book is the artistic presentation of museum art to teach young children their shapes.
(b.) Museum Shapes’ layout presents multiple opportunities for learning. While discovering and interacting with extraordinary pieces of art, students also learn their basic shapes, the names and spellings of the shapes, and to identify the shape several times within several pieces of art.
(c.) An example of the layers of learning is the triangle example found on pages 13 – 16. On the left side of a two page spread the child is asked to identify the shape with the question, “What shape is the man’s hat?” (p. 13) They are given a hint in the background with a gray-scale shaded modern-art repetition of the triangle in three columns. On the right side of the spread is a painting entitled Portrait of a Surgeon (all paintings are identified in the back of the book) (p. 14). The child identifies the triangle within the artwork, the hat on the surgeon’s head. The next page reveals another two page spread. On the right side is a stark white, glossy page with a large, shaded, gray triangle printed in the middle of it. Underneath is the word, “TRIANGLE” (P. 16). On the left side are four more art works featuring triangles. They are artistically displayed in four squares with small lines of white framing and combine four very different works. In this case, we have a block of a quilt, a painting of a sailboat, the triangular archway above a door and a watercolor entitled “Three Houses” (p. 15).
Curriculum Connection: Elementary art teachers could use this book to create a multi-themed art lesson where students are read the book. They interact with the teacher identifying the shapes and also examining the art. Then the students create their own Shape-work-of-art. Older elementary students could make them for the younger students to practice with.
Summary: Museum Shapes presents beautiful works of art and encourages young students to look for the various basic shapes within the art.
Critique: (a.) The multi-level appeal of this book is the artistic presentation of museum art to teach young children their shapes.
(b.) Museum Shapes’ layout presents multiple opportunities for learning. While discovering and interacting with extraordinary pieces of art, students also learn their basic shapes, the names and spellings of the shapes, and to identify the shape several times within several pieces of art.
(c.) An example of the layers of learning is the triangle example found on pages 13 – 16. On the left side of a two page spread the child is asked to identify the shape with the question, “What shape is the man’s hat?” (p. 13) They are given a hint in the background with a gray-scale shaded modern-art repetition of the triangle in three columns. On the right side of the spread is a painting entitled Portrait of a Surgeon (all paintings are identified in the back of the book) (p. 14). The child identifies the triangle within the artwork, the hat on the surgeon’s head. The next page reveals another two page spread. On the right side is a stark white, glossy page with a large, shaded, gray triangle printed in the middle of it. Underneath is the word, “TRIANGLE” (P. 16). On the left side are four more art works featuring triangles. They are artistically displayed in four squares with small lines of white framing and combine four very different works. In this case, we have a block of a quilt, a painting of a sailboat, the triangular archway above a door and a watercolor entitled “Three Houses” (p. 15).
Curriculum Connection: Elementary art teachers could use this book to create a multi-themed art lesson where students are read the book. They interact with the teacher identifying the shapes and also examining the art. Then the students create their own Shape-work-of-art. Older elementary students could make them for the younger students to practice with.
January 14, 2014
There are probably hundreds of children's books out there on shapes — almost all featuring photographs of simple objects, or straightforward illustrations. While infants and very young toddlers who are just starting to recognise basic geometric shapes will appreciate these books, they will also tire of them very quickly. Enter, stage left, Museum Shapes by the Metropolitan Museum of Art which is the perfect book for toddlers who have already mastered the basic shapes.
The most unique selling point of this book is that every painting that appears in the book is a bona fide piece of art hanging in the museum, including works by renowned names such as Picasso and van Gogh — a great way to subtly introduce children to fine art.
The paintings are also neatly grouped such that each spread is focused on just one shape, and the reader is gently guided to identify the shape in question. In addition, only the relevant part of each artwork is shown, so that even if the paintings are inherently complex, it is possible — though challenging, but in a good way — for toddlers to spot the shapes that are hidden in plain sight. Besides the usual circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, diamonds, hearts and ovals, less common shapes like crescents and arches are also covered in the book. Thanks to the nature of the paintings, even older toddlers and grown-ups will enjoy looking at the book and learn to see shapes in a new light.
Geometric shapes are all around us, but it takes a trained eye to see them clearly. This book is a fantastic place to start.
Visit our website for more reviews on great children's books.
The most unique selling point of this book is that every painting that appears in the book is a bona fide piece of art hanging in the museum, including works by renowned names such as Picasso and van Gogh — a great way to subtly introduce children to fine art.
The paintings are also neatly grouped such that each spread is focused on just one shape, and the reader is gently guided to identify the shape in question. In addition, only the relevant part of each artwork is shown, so that even if the paintings are inherently complex, it is possible — though challenging, but in a good way — for toddlers to spot the shapes that are hidden in plain sight. Besides the usual circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, diamonds, hearts and ovals, less common shapes like crescents and arches are also covered in the book. Thanks to the nature of the paintings, even older toddlers and grown-ups will enjoy looking at the book and learn to see shapes in a new light.
Geometric shapes are all around us, but it takes a trained eye to see them clearly. This book is a fantastic place to start.
Visit our website for more reviews on great children's books.
Read
June 23, 2011In this book, students look at geometric shapes in various paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Two activities can come out of this book. One is to have students go around school or their homes and indentify shapes they see in everyday life. Another would be to supply students with cut-outs of geometric shapes and have them create their own shape artwork. They should write a few sentences to describe the shapes in their pictures. For older students, supply multiple versions of a shape (e.g., multiple sizes and types of triangles, not just a small equilateral triangle).
July 18, 2012
I like that the book applied shapes to actual works of art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. I also like that the book started with very basic shapes like, a circle and a square and then moved to more complex shapes like an oval and an arch. This is a great book for connecting shapes to tangible objects.
June 30, 2016
This shape book great for getting kids talking about shapes, and also observing artwork. Simple questions about a shape in the picture, and then the next page gives more examples of artwork and the shapes symbol and name. My kids enjoyed it a lot. Definitely going to try to check out the other books in the series.
December 16, 2015
I think that there are just better books that use famous artwork to show shapes, where the shapes it's showing just are clearer and as a result do a better job of helping a kid learn his or her shapes.
November 23, 2011
A really great book with amazing illustrations from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Children can learn to identify shapes from the art work from the museum. This is great way for children to create an exciting new way to experience the real world around us.
March 21, 2009
I'm planning to use this book with Marc Chagall's "Half Past Three" in my geometry unit.
October 8, 2009
This is an interesting art book. While intended for children, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the details of great art that usually blend in to the whole work. Take a look!
January 13, 2012
I love this series. It's a great way to teach young children basic concepts (shapes, numbers, letters), while simultaneously exposing them to fine art.
November 15, 2014
Has little ones identify shapes and see them in famous artwork. Great way to introduce little ones to museum pieces.
January 30, 2011
My 2 year old is loving this book (and so am I!)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews