Triangle

Class's palette is calm, its weathered backgrounds are elegant, and its comedic timing is precisely tuned to Barnett's deadly serious prose. The triangle outsmarts the square, and the story also deceives the readers as they wait for the square to put the triangle in its place or for the two to reconcile. Instead, the triangle seems to win this round, even as it leaves the book trapped in its own home. While the humor in Sam and Dave Dig a Hole was subtle and sneaky, this shape duel is pure, silly nonsense.

Barnett and Klassen, whose previous collaborations, Extra Yarn and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, were Caldecott Honor books, have created a wonderfully clever picture book. The simple sentences and repetition are perfect for a young audience that will be fascinated by the sneaky dynamic between them.