A colourful and enjoyable children’s picture book encouraging creativity.
Feature image credit: Allen & Unwin
What child doesn’t like the maths lesson where they get to cut a square piece of paper into seven geometric shapes and then see what picture they can make from these shapes? Tangrams have been around for a very long time. Probably originating in China during the 3rd century, they gained popularity in Europe and America in the 19th century. Many teachers now use them in their classroom in geometry, problem solving, and art lessons.
In this new book Who Might You Be? by author and illustrator Robert Henderson, this ancient puzzle is used to create a children’s story which encourages creativity. Each illustration is made from the seven shapes in a tangram, some with a bit of embellishment to make them clearer.
Just like the pieces in a tangram can become many things, this book encourages the reader to be whoever they want to be, without really suggesting any concrete choices, but just encouraging the thought process.
The front cover shows a child and their dog, both made out of tangrams, with some more puzzle pieces floating above. Inside the front and back covers, there are patterns using squares, cut into the tangram pieces (another good idea for a class art lesson looking at patterns and colours). On the title page, we are introduced to the tangram, explaining how these seven pieces can be pulled apart, shifted, turned, flipped and put back together again.
Just like a tangram puzzle can be a square, rectangle, dog, person, or even a number seven, we can also choose to be whoever we want to be. At the end of the book is a tangram to trace and turn into your own creation.
Teachers will enjoy using this book as a stepping stone into a great maths or art lesson.
Reviewed by Sue Mauger
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Allen & Unwin
Released: July 2025
RRP: $24.99
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