ALA Booklist (Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2019)

Barnett and Klassen's Shape trilogy is completed with the arrival of Circle, who invites Square and Triangle for a game of hide-and-seek near (but not behind) her waterfall. Both agree, but, of course, Triangle disregards Circle's one rule and hides exactly where he shouldn't. Resigned, Circle enters the dark cave behind the falls to find her friend, venturing deeper and deeper until it's pitch black and all the reader sees are Circle's eyes in the darkness. Finally, another set of eyes appears, but when Triangle's voice comes from an entirely different part of the cave, Circle and Triangle bolt for the exit. Back in the safety of daylight, Circle ponders what the shape in the darkness might have been, inviting her friends and readers to do the same. In typical Barnett-Klassen style, humor and light philosophical musings mingle to form a story that will entertain children and adults alike. Because much of the story takes place in darkness, readers are called upon to use their imaginations, making this oddball friendship tale an off-kilter treat. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: If you don't order extra copies of this dynamic duo's latest, their fans will get bent out of shape.

Horn Book (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

While playing hide-and-seek with Square (Triangle; Square), Triangle breaks Circle's rule about not hiding behind the waterfall. Annoyed, Circle follows him into a dark cave until only expressively drawn eyes are visible. An unknown third pair causes the friends to flee, with philosophical Circle wondering what shape it was. Klassen's understated work with light, shadow, and texture in the graphite, watercolor, and digital illustrations carries Barnett's highly entertaining story full...circle.

Kirkus Reviews

Circle, Square, and Triangle play a game together with surprising results.The three shapes are friends. Illustrator Klassen's watercolor, graphite, and digitally created illustrations are evocative in their muted palette and spare presentation, the shapes drawn simply, with white, rounded-off oblongs for eyes whose black pupils move back and forth to show action and emotion. One day, Circle suggests a game of hide-and-seek and tells her friends not to hide behind the waterfall, because it is dark. When Circle finishes counting, Square has not moved; he tells Circle, "Triangle went behind the waterfall." Circle goes to find him, and as she delves deeper, the double-page spreads darken to solid black until only Circle's white oblong eyes are shown. She sees one set of eyes and begins to upbraid Triangle—and then a third set. Turns out that is the set that belongs to Triangle, and when the two realize they don't know the other, they rush away in a fright. Safely back in the open, Circle wonders what shape was in the dark and, reflecting on her fear, realizes that the shape wasn't necessarily "bad" just because she couldn't see it. While the implied message of the story is a vital one in this xenophobic age and its subtle delivery and imagery encourage further exploration, the story's final page veers off, asking readers to picture a shape rather than delivering a conclusion. Worthy and allusive but with a possibly frustratingly oblique ending. (Picture book. 4-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Square and Triangle have had their turns. Now, in the final volume of Barnett and Klassen-s shapes trilogy, Circle-s the hero. She suggests a game of hide-and-seek and warns Square and Triangle not to hide behind her waterfall, a bright new addition to Klassen-s landscape of burnished textures. Sneaky Triangle, of course, heads behind the waterfall anyway, and Circle journeys deep into its inky recesses to retrieve the shape. It-s so dark that she disappears into the black, her white eyes all that remains on the page. Out of the darkness stares another set of eyes. But they-re not Triangle-s, and the entity behind them doesn-t speak; Circle and Triangle bolt. In the daylight again, Circle reconsiders, wondering if the shape might have been good. -What kind of shape was it?- she reflects. Barnett ends with a question for readers: -If you close your eyes, what shape do you picture?- Something that seems scary at first, Barnett suggests, might turn out to be just another shape to get to know. Circle-s story offers a moment of genuine fright; watching Circle consider other possibilities reminds readers that calm analysis can master fear. Ages 5-9. (Mar.)