This amusing little multigenerational storybook uses geometric shape characters and colorful art to deal with timely, yet timeless, human issues: diversity, change, creativity, and teamwork.
Squareland enjoys a simple, uniform, conflict-free life of “perfect squares”—until expectations are stunningly upended by change. Suddenly Squares must deal with foreign creatures: Triangles, Rectangles, Circles, Ellipses, Parallelograms, Trapezoids, “Gons,” and such weirdoes. Each shape has its own natural personality and proclivities, so complications, cliques, tensions, and conflict threaten the easy and predictable status quo.
As the culture deteriorates, ironically, it also thrives. Playful creativity flourishes. Soon, the gifts of each contribute to a more exciting, clearly more productive whole. Eventually, a miraculous transformation evolves.
The verbal and visual wit, imaginative story and simple art, sprightly writing, and layers of meaning, and multiple applications appeal to the adults for whom it was written, as well as to children and teens who may not grasp more subtle allusions, but love it anyway! As with literary classics such as The Little Prince and Alice in Wonderland, and allegories such as The Goal and The Celestine Prophecy, people of all ages and types are amused, uplifted, and inspired.
Readers naturally identify with the inherent personality traits described in particular shapes and want to compare with others. This tendency led the author to develop an original self-test and related workshops SELFSHAPESTM and RELATIONSHAPESTM, as well as a unique musical theater script that premiered in Pensacola using various instruments to represent each shape through sound.
Author Dr. Dolly Berthelot says a dream originally offered the premise, “a gift from my right brain,” as creative leaps often come. She benefitted from a lifelong love of art, writing, and innovative thinking, and a multi-faceted career as newspaper and magazine writer and editor, journalism and writing professor and English teacher of grades 7-12 as well as seminar leader and coach to numerous adults. At the time, she was providing communication consulting to corporations and businesses, grappling with perennial workplace and organizational challenges in human relations, interpersonal communication, diversity, conflict, change, and teambuilding, striving to address these issues in fresh and fun ways and stimulate creative strategies. Teachers then assured her that the book benefitted even their elementary students, teaching basic geometric shapes along with cooperation and creativity.
The delightful story plus author’s questions related to each of the themes spur thought and discussion for educators, corporations, businesses, psychological settings, religious institutions, non-profit and other organizations, plus book clubs and individuals who simply enjoy a good read and a catalyst for worthwhile interaction.
In our own ever-changing world, there’s never a time we don’t need gentle reminding of the messages underlying this tale. But could there be ANY time more relevant than right now?
Enthusiasts tend to keep PERFECTLY SQUARE near bed or toilet to enjoy often, and to give copies as small gifts to people of various ages and backgrounds in their personal and professional lives.
This unusually original and thought-provoking gift, ideal for any occasion, is inexpensive and value-packed.
And, it will never go out of style.
