This story is charming and has a nice message of self-acceptance and the need to be kind to others. The focus on shapes makes it feel educational without being heavy handed, and the illustrations are lovely.

4 stars.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The illustrations in the book are absolutely delightful! Whimsical and colorful and cute. But the story itself wasn’t great. It really didn’t make a whole lot of sense, and just seemed sort of thrown together.

A very sweet book that is a mix of teaching about shapes and also self worth. The illustrations are lovely and I love the colour palette. This is a very engaging and fun story with a great message

‘Line Leads the Way’ by Laura Purdie Salas is a beautiful and heartwarming story that embraces the theme of being perfectly imperfect. This charming book is sure to resonate with young readers and adults alike, offering a delightful narrative and stunning illustrations.

Plot: ★★★★★
The plot is lovely, providing a touching story that celebrates the uniqueness of being imperfect. It carries an important message about self-acceptance and finding one's own path, making it a meaningful and memorable read for children.

Characters: ★★★★★
The main character is endearing and relatable, capturing the essence of individuality and self-discovery. Children will easily connect with the character's journey and find inspiration in their story.

Illustrations: ★★★★★
The illustrations are gorgeous, adding visual richness to the narrative. Each page is beautifully crafted, with vibrant and expressive artwork that enhances the story's emotional impact. The illustrations perfectly complement the text, making the book visually captivating.

Engagement: ★★★★★
The book is rather engaging, with a compelling plot and charming characters that hold the reader's attention from start to finish. The relatable theme and beautiful illustrations ensure that young readers remain interested and entertained throughout.

Readability: ★★★★★
‘Line Leads the Way’ has an excellent read-aloud factor, with clear and rhythmic text that flows smoothly. It’s an ideal book for storytime, whether at home or in the classroom. The language is accessible and enjoyable, making it easy for both children and adults to read and appreciate.

Enjoyment: ★★★★★
Overall, this book is very enjoyable and highly relatable. The combination of a lovely plot, endearing characters, and stunning illustrations makes it a highly enjoyable read. Its message about self-acceptance and individuality adds depth and value to the reading experience.

‘Line Leads the Way’ by Laura Purdie Salas is a highly recommended read for children. Its engaging plot, relatable characters, beautiful illustrations, and excellent readability make it a standout book that celebrates the beauty of being perfectly imperfect. This book is sure to be a favourite with young readers and their parents, offering both enjoyment and an important lesson on self-acceptance.

While the idea of this book was great, the execution was lacking. This book would be a good book to use to teach attributes of shapes, but the “fun-ness” of books is lost by trying to make a point/teach a lesson. I probably would not recommend this to teachers at my school!

Such a cute book. The message is really well done - we all have different traits and because we're different we are useful for different things. The illustrations were also very captivating. I can see kids being engaged to see all the different shapes represented.

I loved this sweet little book about the different roles we can play and the important lesson that being "perfect" is not always what is required.

I look forward to sharing this with my toddler. He loves identifying shapes and I think he will enjoy the personalities assigned to each. I think that the line will be a new and interesting concept for him!

This title was cute. The characters are likeable and the narrative is easy to follow. This would be great for young children.

I enjoyed the balance in the illustrations in this book,

Very cute book. I love the illustrations the most. It was very fun and visually captivating for my daughter as well. The moral of the story was beautiful and I loved how educational it was while still telling a fun story! The pictures are absolutely amazing and I really loved the art style. I think a lot of children would love this book; and a lot of parents would like that it tells a great message and kids can also learn about shapes. It's also great that it is about a library job! I love the mention of the library so kids want to get more involved at their libraries.

Adorable from start to finish. I was drawn in by the cover art and the colorful presentation.

Line and assorted shapes all want to be the treasure keeper. Each shape thinks they are perfect for the job and they share why. They all “audition” and line is last. Line finds that they are perfectly imperfect. Just right for the job!

This was an adorable book and I think kids of all ages will definitely enjoy reading it. I'll definitely be purchasing this for my library collection!

Pros: I very much enjoyed this book where the shapes are the characters! It made for very clever illustrations while also teaching young readers about shapes. I thought the book also had a lovely message about how we are all perfectly imperfect.

Cons: None that I can think of!

Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone Editions for the opportunity to read this book

"We're all a little broken."

This story is about accepting and embracing YOU just as you are. We are all perfectly imperfect in our own ways and it's important to know you're self-worth. You matter! This book is perfect for young readers (ages 5-9 years).

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Purdie Salas, and Capstone for the opportunity to read and review this children's book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I found this cute, but not really original or imaginative enough. The illustrations were just OK, but would have been adequate if the story was more exciting or had more heart. Many thanks for ARC.

𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗬 was a quick and easy read. Cute and creative dialogue about shapes and what makes them special. The underlying message that everyone is important, came across well and imparts an important lesson.

A darling story (for readers 5-9) with bright, fun, and colorful illustrations that show you are perfect just the "shape" you are. Loved it!

Regretfully, I was unable to follow. Although my kids thought the illustrations were fantastic, they frequently had trouble understanding the tale and kept asking me to clarify what they thought was happening.
I appreciate the chance to read this ARC and provide an unbiased assessment.

This was such an interesting children’s book that follows a few shapes that think they’re perfect for a special job at the library… along comes line.

I loved how this story was much more than just learning about shapes, it had multiple themes throughout like self-worth and realizing not everyone is perfect. The illustrations were lovely and I would without a doubt recommend this for young readers.

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Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with access to read this book!

This is a great story of resilience and bravery. This book shows children that you don't have to be perfect to be good at things and to be successful. Sometimes being imperfect is exactly what is needed, no one is perfect and we need to learn to embrace that.

This story uses shapes as the characters and highlights the things they are best at. The other shapes are pretty mean to Line because they don't think he can do things like they can.

The illustrations are great, they are bright and colourful and really pop and catch your eye. This is great for Children's books because that can keep their attention on the story.

I loved the illustrations with the pastel colours and the expressive shapes. The messages were also lovely: Persevere when you have a goal and appreciate the differences and imperfections in yourself and others.

The story felt awkward to me though. There was no explanation as to what the treasure was, and there was no apparent reason for Line to leave home — both he and his family were very sad about his departure. Also I didn’t like how negative, mean-spirited, and boastful the other shapes were throughout the story.

This was just an okay read for me and if I was still teaching I wouldn't purchase it for my class.

(Retired Grade 1 teacher)