10 Books for Teaching Shapes

Your students are learning all about geometry and different shapes. A great way to teach about 2-D and 3-D shapes is through mentor texts. Try some of these books for teaching shapes to share with your little learners this year!

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Books for Teaching 2D Shapes

Mice on Ice by Eleanor May

What happens when you put mice on ice? Their blades etch a picture of a cat who magically comes to life! What happens next? The mice and three-dimensional cat skate together! Bright, bold, and beautiful illustrations instantly capture readers’ attention and reward them with a fantastical book that teaches young children about shapes.

The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns

Triangle is bored and not happy with his life. He visits a shapeshifter to add to his shape making him a quadrilateral. But as the title suggests, Triangle gets greedy and keeps adding angles until he is completely remodeled. Best-selling author Marilyn Burns also outlines the concepts addressed in the story and offers extension questions to further engage children. 

If You Were a Quadrilateral by Molly Cece Barlow Blaisdell

Think of all the fun things you could be if you were a quadrilateral! You could be a chalkboard, a kite, or even a blanket! Beginning with a definition and explanation of a quadrilateral, this book introduces the shape in fun and creative ways that show just how many objects are 4-sided shapes. 

If You Were a Polygon by Marcie Aboff

Imagine if you were a polygon! Stop signs, stars, kites, and more are all polygons. This book introduces polygons in fun and creative ways to show how polygon shapes are all around us. 

The Cat and the Bird: A Children’s Book Inspired by Paul Klee

The Cat and The Bird is a playful story about a cat who lives in a whose full of toys but all he wants is to escape out the window to be free like his friend the bird. Elschner’s bright and colorful use of shapes and lines pays homage to Paul Klee’s masterpieces. This is a great book to use as an introduction to an art project focused on two-dimensional shapes. 

Books for Teaching Shapes

Sphere (First Step Nonfiction) by Jennifer Boothroyd

Written by a former elementary school teacher, Sphere is just one of several titles in the First Step Nonfiction – Solid Shapes series. Boothroyd shows readers just how common spheres are in the world. Students can embark on a fun adventure to see how many spheres they see in their own surroundings. 

Cone (First Step Nonfiction) by Jennifer Boothroyd

Another colorful and comprehensive book in Boothroyd’s First Step Nonfiction series, Cone demonstrates just how many everyday shapes actually are cones. Your students will be amazed at what they discover! 

Make a Wish, Albert! by Lori Haskins Houran

It’s Albert’s birthday and he is so excited for the cake, balloons, and his friends! As Albert admires his birthday presents, he takes guesses as to what they are based on their 3D shapes. This is a versatile book that can be used for either guided or independent reading and comes with activities to do together. 

What in the World is a Sphere? (SandCastle: 3D Shapes) by Anders Hanson

What in the World is a Sphere is part of the SandCastle: 3D Shapes series and offers a comprehensive look at the sphere in everyday life using full color photos and directions for drawing them. This book is perfect for guided reading, shared reading, and independent reading. Other books in the series introduce other 3D shapes including cone, cylinder, cube, pyramind, and prism. 

Captain Invincible and the Space Shapes by Stuart J. Murphy

Captain Invincible and his super space sidekick Comet must make it back to Earth. In order to do so, they must rely on their knowledge of three-dimensional shapes such as cones, cubes, and even pyramids. Can this dynamic duo traverse the obstacles and make it back? Your students will love this engaging book with special characters. 

These books for teaching shapes are one of the easiest ways to help your students learn about everything from squares to cubes while reading engaging, fun stories. Share them with your young readers today to help them learn this important skill!

If you’re looking for more mentor texts to integrate into your math block, you can find my other topics here.