Formen

by Mélanie Watt

Animals of the ocean display both simple and complex shapes.

Genres: Childrens

Hardcover

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

It was in a design class taught by Michèle Lemieux at the University of Quebec in Montreal that author and illustrator Mélanie Watt created her first picture book, Leon the Chameleon, which was later published by Kids Can Press. Watt went on to create several more books, including the Learning with Animals collection and Augustine, which was named an ALA Notable Children's Book. Watt has also illustrated Where Does a Tiger-Heron Spend the Night? and Bearcub and Mama, which won the 2006 IRA Teachers' Choices Project.

Mélanie's best known book Scaredy Squirrel, has won many awards including the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award for Children's Picture Book and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award. The release of Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, was met with enthusiastic reviews and incredible sales, confirming the arrival of kid lit's newest superstar.

Chester,Chester's Back! and Chester's Masterpiece are about a megalomaniac cat who is every bit the antithesis to Scaredy. Chester has already become a bestseller and shows the breadth and creativity of Mélanie Watt.

Scaredy returns to take a few more tentative steps out of his comfort zone in Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach and Scaredy Squirrel at Night. Mélanie has often noted how the Scaredy Squirrel books helped her work out her own insecurities and fears, as the success of these titles has required her to venture out into the unknown, and like Scaredy she has found the experience truly uplifting.

Mélanie currently resides near Montreal, Quebec.

~From http://www.kidscanpress.com/creators/...

Reviews

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of the four Watt “Learning with Animals” board books I’ve recently read (the other three are colors, alphabet, opposites) this is my least favorite.

Yes, her illustrations are beautiful, and colorful, although I don’t enjoy the art in these books as much as I do in her Chester and Scaredy Squirrel books. However, in a way I didn’t appreciate, she really stretches things re the shapes. Whales are not shaped exactly like rectangles, turtles not like pentagons, etc. So the pictures looked weird to me, and not shown accurately. At least each animal got another word, a verb, for what they’re doing in the pictures, so it makes reading this book slightly more interesting than if the animals’ names and the shape names were the only words in the book.

[Samantha Penrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this adorable board book you will see how nine different shapes (triangle, square, rectangle, circle, oval, pentagon, star, crescent, and spiral) can become ocean critters (fish, sting ray, whale, puffer fish, crab, turtle, sea star, shrimp, and snail).
Clever idea. Cute illustrations.
This book is an art project waiting to happen!!!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Animals are a little odd shaped but cute.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Chester, Scardy Squirrel know you have to start somewhere. These board books is where Melanie Started! They are colorful and educational board books with great pictures