Square works all day moving rocks from inside his cave to outside. When Circle comes along, she thinks one of the square-shaped rocks he’s moving is a work of genius. “It looks just like you!” She commissions Square to do one of her, and leaves before Square can explain he doesn’t know how to sculpt stone. “Circle is perfect. So I must make this perfect.” He chips away into the night, through the rain, until he is surrounded by a pile of rubble—the opposite of perfection in Square’s mind. When Circle returns, Square is sure he’s a failure, but rain has collected in the middle of the pile, and in the small pool Circle sees … her reflection. “You are a genius,” said Circle. “But was he really?” The bold, clean, black-and-white illustrations and uncluttered text work together to create a deceptively sophisticated board book. The tongue-in-cheek humor leaves it up to readers and listeners to decide for themselves if what Square has accomplished is art. (Ages 4–8)

The beguiling second entry in the innovative shape trilogy by multi-award-winning, New York Times best-selling duo Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen.

This book is about Square. Square spends every day taking blocks from a pile below the ground to a pile above the ground. This book is also about Square’s friend Circle. Circle thinks Square is an artistic genius. But is he really? With the second story in a trilogy of tales about Triangle, Square, and Circle, Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen nudge readers toward a more well-rounded way of looking at things. Understated and striking in its simplicity, this funny, thoughtful offering from two of today’s most talented picture-book creators emphasizes the importance of keeping your eyes — and your mind — open to wonder where others see only rubble and rocks.