My Shape is Sam

by Amanda Jackson, Lydia Nichols (Illustrator)

Overview

Circles were smooth and round. Good at rolling, spinning, and pushing. They all turned together to make things go.

Squares were sturdy and even. Good at stacking, steadying, and measuring. They all fit together to make things stay.

In a world where everybody is a shape and every shape has a specific job, Sam is a square who longs for softer corners, rounder edges, and the ability to roll like a circle. But everyone knows that squares don’t roll, they stack. At least that’s what everyone thinks until the day Sam takes a tumble and discovers something wonderful. He doesn’t have to be what others want or expect him to be.

With playful imagery, this story considers identity and nonconformity through the eyes of Sam, a square struggling to find his true place in the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781624147708
Publisher:	Page Street Publishing
Publication date:	09/17/2019
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	857,077
Product dimensions:	9.80(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Amanda Jackson, debut author, journaled and wrote poetry growing up, and this love of writing evolved into picture books as an adult. She has a bachelor’s degree in human development and more than ten years of experience working with children. She moved more than ten times as a child, but she now calls Beaverton, Oregon, home.

Lydia Nichols is a full-time illustrator and anthropomorphizer. A Google doodler, she has a BFA in Illustration from Syracuse University and an MFA in Graphic Design from Tyler School of Art. She’s convinced her natural red hair is her superpower, and she lives in Oakland, California. This is her debut picture book.

Editorial Reviews

09/16/2019

Circles and squares are given specific jobs in this gentle celebration of self-discovery: circles “turned together to make things go,” while squares “all fit together to make things stay.” Square-shaped Sam doesn’t “really feel like a square”—he wants to move fast like the circles, with nary a “thump-thump-thump” as he turns.” Nichols’s expressive digital illustrations, rendered in cheery pastel hues in basic shapes, parallel Sam’s energy. After he finds a hoop in a park, and begins his rolling adventure, the more he moves—despite “bumps... bonks... and thuds” —the happier he becomes. The metaphor of making one’s identity plays nicely here, as a supportive community of shapes cheer Sam’s enthusiastic transformation from builder to roller. As Sam tumbles, his corners begin to round, an effect that is echoed in the pages’ rounded edges. Affable and reassuring, this story shapes up into an introduction to identity. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

09/01/2019

PreS–This is a story about fitting in and having empathy for those struggling to find their place. It is written in a way young children can identify with. All shapes where Sam lives have jobs. For circles it means working together to make things go. For squares, like Sam, it means making things stable and staying in place. "Sometimes Sam was part of a bridge. Sometimes he was part of a building." But the title goes on to explain, "Sam liked to go fast. Fast was fun. But mostly he liked it because that is what circles did. And even though he had four pointy corners, Sam didn't really feel like a square." Sam works to find where he belongs and the story has a happy ending. Sam ends up joining the circles on their job. When asked about his shape, he says, "My shape is Sam!" At the back of the book a note reads, "Amanda Jackson (the author) has been the new kid in six different schools, fostering a deep empathy for those who struggle to find their place in the world. She hopes Sam's story will help bring understanding, rather than speak only to those who already understand." Illustrations are bright and colorful and complement text. VERDICT A fun, simple read-aloud that can be a tool to teach empathy to young children. A recommended purchase for public libraries and preschools.—Robin Sofge, Prince William Public Library System, VA

School Library Journal

2019-06-10
A square who loves to roll instead of build surprises his community with his new talent and gains confidence in himself.

In Sam the square's world of shapes, everyone has a job to do. Stable squares like Sam help construct towers and bridges, while speedy circles zoom from place to place as wheels on trains and trucks. Dissatisfied with his role in life, Sam decides to try something bold. He learns to roll and discovers joy by being himself. Debut author Jackson uses the familiar concept of shapes as a metaphor to discuss difference and identity. Bright and active digital illustrations accompany the text, expressing Sam's love for movement. Although the initial language that Sam doesn't "feel like a square" despite his "four pointy corners" paired with a depiction of Sam as a circle inside a square suggests a born-in-the-wrong-body narrative, Sam ultimately claims his shape and finds his own way to label himself. His corners become subtly rounder after the first time he rolls. In contrast to similar titles, such as Michael Hall's Red: A Crayon's Story (2015), Sam's community encourages his behavior. The other shapes are excited to see a square roll, and the circles welcome him into rolling jobs. This positive support strengthens the underlying message that exploring identity and self-expression brings happiness.

A gentle and playful celebration of difference and self-discovery. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews