The Wing on a Flea: A Book about Shapes

by Ed Emberley

Originally published 40 years ago, this book uses vivid illustrations and simple rhyming text by a noted author/illustrator to introduce the concept of shapes and sizes to curious young readers as he suggests how they can view the world in a new and exciting way. Full-color illustrations.

Genres: Picture Books, Mathematics, Childrens, Storytime, Art

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

American artist and illustrator, best known for children's picture books.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

A celebration of triangles, rectangles and circles that is visually vibrant but really doesn't do much for me otherwise. My daughter liked it more than I did when she was young.

This is a 2001 remake, and I have to say, I prefer the original 1961 book, The Wing on a Flea: A Book About Shapes.

[Celia Buell (semi hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wing on a Flea asks, “what could it be” for triangles, rectangles, and circles in nature through rhyming poetic prose and colorful pictures. Every few pages ends, “if you’ll just look and see.”

This would be a good read-aloud to start a unit on shapes that covers the standards on shapes for kindergarten, or a good way to preassess knowledge. I'd love to have this in the classroom and have students join me in pointing out colorful shapes in order to help grow knowledge of shapes on paper and in the world.

Read my full review on my Goodreads account for children's books.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

All sorts of shapes are put together to make bright and colorful pictures. Preschool and up

[Shawn L’s Book Notes & Quotes · Rating 3 out of 5]

...but fleas don’t have wings. And creative license has no boundaries as long as it’s cool with the readers.

[K McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to draw the entire book! :)

[W · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS THE WRONG COVER. the cover I have is gorgeous, not this clown nonsense. Anyways the books v cool.

[Eori Tokunaga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple shapes make up so many things in life. A triangle could be a wing on a flea, like how a rectangle can be a ruler or toolbox

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun rhyming book for little readers. I like the pictures.

[Celia Buell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wing on a Flea asks, “what could it be” for triangles, rectangles, and circles in nature through rhyming poetic prose and colorful pictures. Every few pages ends, “if you’ll just look and see.” For example, pages 1-2 – “A triangle could be the wing on a flea / or the beak on a bird if you’ll just look and see.” These “if you just look and see” lines are important because they help point out that even in the accompanying pictures there’s more to be seen than just what’s written.

This would be a good read-aloud to start a unit on shapes that covers the standards on shapes for kindergarten, or a good way to preassess knowledge. I would introduce the book by asking if students could name the shapes they see on the cover, and then the ones on the first page of each section for triangles, rectangles, and circles. As we go through the pages, I would ask where students notice these shapes before we read some pages.

As an extension, students could work in groups to move around the classroom to “look and see” and find three objects around the classroom that are triangles, three objects that are rectangles, and three objects that are circles. After this, groups could share out and we could make a class list of all the shapes we see around our classroom.

I'd love to have this in the classroom and have students join me in pointing out colorful shapes in order to help grow knowledge of shapes on paper and in the world.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This concept book of shapes shows the many ways that triangles, rectangles, and circles appear all around us. For example, “A triangle could be the wing on a flea / or the beak on a bird, if you’ll just look and see.” The geometric illustrations, printed in bright colors on black paper, are especially vivid and appealing. Readers will have fun picking out familiar shapes, and seeing how even simple shapes can come together to form interesting drawings (in classic Ed Emberley style). The rhythmic, rhyming text also draws in the audience. Young readers will have fun practicing with their shapes and finding even more outside of the book, while older children might be inspired to create some of their own geometric illustrations. Librarians considering it for their collections should note that this is a reprint of the text originally published in 1961, with all-new illustrations.

Summary from SPL: “Simple rhyming text and illustrations guide the reader to see triangles, rectangles, and circles in everyday things.”

Favorably reviewed in SLJ and Hornbook, which notes that this new edition “pulsates with color, with familiar shapes leaping from the pages.”

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew up reading Ed Emberley's books. I rediscovered him as a parent. I remember him mostly for his how to draw books but he also has a long list of picture books and books he has illustrated for other authors. The Wing on a Flea is an updated edition of his 1961 book which we borrowed from the library.

As Ed points out at the close of the book, fleas don't have wings. He took poetic license hoping to inspire creativity as he shows children how simple geometric shapes can be used to create complex drawings.

The Wing on a Flea goes through the basic shapes: circle, triangle and square to show how they can be found in day to day things. Each page has a bunch of typically colorful and geometric Emberley illustrations that highlight the shape in question as it works with the others.

Sean enjoyed the book for the artistic inspiration and Harriet liked it because she was studying triangles in preschool.

[Tahira Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book about shapes! the author of this book cleaverly used basic shapes to make pictures of every day objects and animals. Each page asks the reader to find a different shape, like a circle or square. This is a very colorful book.
I would use this book to lead into a simple geography lesson for students in second grade or younger. After reading this book I would let students try and name differnt shapes I would hold up. To expand upon this lesson I would let students make their own pictures using only basic cut out shapes. Another topic you could cover with this book is scince. After readign this book students could look up real pictures of the animals mentioned in this book. Students could than compair and contrast the looks of the real pictures witht he ones in the book.

[Ali Wilcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book to help younger kids differentiate between certain shapes. This book allows to students to study the shaps of triangles, rectangles, and circles. On each page it has an object that pertains to that particular shape. The illustrations are what make this book so great. The shape that is being discussed is a certain color while the rest of the picture is different. For example, while explaining what a triangle looks like, there is a picture of a bird and the beak of the bird is a different color than the rest of the bird so that it stand out to the reader. All of the illustrations are just like that where it is easy for the reader to identify where the shape(s) are on the page. This is a book that I think kids would really enjoy especially if they are allowed to point out all of the shapes that they see as they read.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire book, The Wing on a Flea, is very enthralling and teaches children how to identify triangles, rectangles and circles. Emberley makes children aware of different geometric shapes that occur in their surroundings, be it nature, structures or vehicles. The colorful illustrations are set against a black background which makes them vividly stand out. The enthralling nature of the color schemes allow the reader to explore beyond the text allowing them to focus on the concept of geometric shapes. The book pulls in the reader with a very appealing and playful rhyme scheme that is present from the beginning to end of the story. This would be a great storytime book that can easily lead to activities involving geometric shapes.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wing on a Flea is a book about shapes and the different places you can find them. For example a triangle could be the wing on a flea or the beak on a bird. Activity 1: This book could be used in a math lesson as you count the many different shapes and/or use the shapes to make different patterns. Activity 2: Use the story to teach a lesson on rhyming words. In a round robin activity have them make as many words as possible to rhyme with the word hat, and so on.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that my son checked out from the library. He, at four, already knows his shapes, so the hunting for shapes did not hold his interest very long. The text was cute, and the illustrations were adorable and entertaining.

My son, however, was very fascinated by how Ed Emberley used shapes to create pictures. I know that Ed Emberley has some "how-to-draw" books that use that concept, so I'll be looking for those.

[Ellen Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A triangle could be.. a wing on a flea! Before we read this book, we came up with a list ideas of what else a triangle could be - and then we did the same for circles and squares. Students were thrilled when their ideas showed up in the story. The illustrations are interactive; students find many more triangles, circles and rectangles than the ones mentioned in the text

[Paul Hankins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful verse exploring all of the things a shape could be.

If you'll just look and see.

Wouldn't this be a fun book to workshop with a group of younger readers. Looking at shapes in different ways and with the help of a lead learner, perhaps all of these ideas could be set to rhyme during the month of April to bring the poetry back into the lesson.

[Eyehavenofilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

With primary coloured shapes, Emberly makes looking for, and identifying simple shapes fun and full of imagination. Each shape becomes a multitude of things from a fish tail to a sail on a boat, from from a piece of confetti to a check on a shirt, and from a little green pea to a light on a lighthouse. This encourages children to find fun shapes in even the most unexpected places.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple shapes displayed in images and situations easily recognized by toddlers and preschoolers

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the cover flap says, this is a "brilliantly illustrated book"! Every page is full of geometric shape pictures that are fun! It opens up the imagination to look at the world around us differently!

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids love every book we've ever read by emberley. This book is great because it helps them relate shapes to their every day lives.

[Lindsey Rutledge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be great for lower level grades. Students would be able to see that the shapes that are talked about in math class are all around us. The illustrations are very colorful and bright.

[Michelle Farella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would be a great library art storytime book.

[Prplpckl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, high-contrast book about how the basic shapes of a triangle, square and circle can make up many objects.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book serves as a pleasant introduction to using simple shapes to compose more complicated images. It's lighthearted, engaging, and kids enjoy identifying the shapes.

[Edward Creter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cute book about different shapes in different artworks is sure to please the shape-loving kid in your brood.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorful book. I'll be using it with some 3rd and 4th graders to talk about the artwork and do some similar art of our own.

[Lara]

Great book to start a conversation about observing shapes all around us. They take on so many different functions and roles. Prefer the original 1961 cover illustrations if I were to buy. Would have to check that that interior illustrations haven't changed.
This is about a 5-10 minute read dependent on conversation stops.