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)

Heartwarming story about being yourself. Line is perfectly imperfect --not sharp, not straight, nothing too special. But Line is just what the library needs. Journey with all the shapes as they make their way to the library and compete for the coveted role of Treasure Keeper. Added layers of various shapes and wonderful artwork will keep children asking, "Can we read it again?"

Laura Purdie Salas is known for her books of poetry, often based on science, sometimes a story but in verse, and more! This time, it's all about shapes, allowing each one to apply for a new position, "Keeper of the Treasure" at the Valley View Library. As each shape moves along to get to the interview, Line included, they shout a few barbs, like "Why are you so plain?" but Line just keeps going. When presenting, the shapes each share how it suits the new job "perfectly". For example, Rectangle states: "I am PERFECTLY sturdy. I am buildings and books and boxes. I will hide the Treasure inside." Others show similar traits, but only Line "shows" it can "Lead the Way". You'll need to read this celebration of those who are thoughtful, resilient, and who appreciate uniqueness. It's enhanced by Alice Caldarella's lively and colorful illustrations full of emotions in shapes!
Thanks to Laura and NetGalley for my advance copy!

This was a cute story with a nice message at the end, but it just didn’t do it for me.

This story follows shapes as they try to prove why they’d be the best Treasure Keeper. Ultimately line wins, proving that perfection in a skill is not always the goal. However, I struggled to keep up with the story and message along the way. It felt like too much of a stretch to me. I find it could have explained more about what the “treasure” was. And it could have explained why Line kept losing parts of himself. I would have liked a story that demonstrated the message through the parts of the story rather than exclaim it at the end, which is what it felt like to me.

However, I did loved how each shapes personality was portrayed so perfectly for how I would imagine them.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc copy of this book for an honest review.

I shared this book with my grade 4 class. They liked the pictures and the story. They felt that the characters were relateable and that it was definitely a good book for enjoyment. For my class, they found it overall enjoyable.

This book was adorable! The illustrations were beautiful. I especially loved the soft color scheme - so many kids' books are full of bold colors but I thought the hues in this book fit the storyline perfectly. The overall theme of resiliency was woven through the story as the main character ignored the criticism of the other shapes and persevered in his quest to be the guardian of the library treasure. While all of the other shapes told the librarian about how "perfect" they were, Line said that he wasn't perfectly anything but that we would take care of the Treasure. It is nice to see the author conveying that perfection isn't the most important thing in life. The subtle humor throughout the book was also a delight. I will definitely be recommending this book to my librarian friends to add to their collection.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. All the shapes are headed to the library to win a contest. Each shape thinks they are the best, and way better than line. Little do they know, that line is special too.

I enjoy Laura Purdie Salas' picture books and poetry. When I saw her latest book on the Net Galley site, I gladly requested an ebook copy to review. I was not disappointed, This is a charming and smart story that will challenge perceptions of children and adults alike. The fun shape characters will get giggles from the small ones. The illustrations, done in fun doodle style have lots of color and movement. I can see this book being a good choice for story time or to begin a classroom discussion on the definition of treasure and whether it should be hoarded or shared. It is also perfect for National Library Week or Children's Book Week.

Creative and fun story about shapes! But also about friendship, differences, acceptance, and kindness!

The colours and drawing style were super cute and soothing!

I liked the message the book portrays, about love, care and sharing being more important than perfection. And also, everyone is different and has their strengths!

Laura Purdie Salas always delights. Her children's books consistently serve up a satisfying blend of kindness, education, and inclusiveness. Line Leads the Way is the latest in a long line of wonderful kids' books. Colorful illustrations by Alice Caldarella add to the charm.

I found it very hard to rate children's books so everything is a 5 star read for me!!
I really loved this book, the illustrations are so beautiful and captivating that I found myself smiling through every page I read.
The story itself is very beautiful and inspiring <3

I love the simple way shapes are introduced in this book. The different ways we use shapes in our daily lives was very clever.

More importantly, the message behind why we are all different and how we can all bring something to the world was lovely.

The illustrations were my favorite part and I can only see my classroom reading to grab this book to trace the lines.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The book 'Line Leads the Way,' written by Laura Purdie Salas and illustrated by Alice Caldarella is about accepting imperfection and recognizing inner beauty.

The shapes around town see a sign that reads:

WANTED NEW TREASURE KEEPER

Are you the PERFECT shape

to keep our treasure safe?

Tryouts at Valley View

Library in two weeks!

The event was attended by shapes from near and far. Among the shapes that came were: Rectangle, Circle, Square, Oval, Triangle, Rectangle, Star, Diamond, and Line. The shapes all said that their shapes made them perfect for the job. For example, Circle proclaimed, "I am PERFECTLY round. I hold the silver moon and the blue lake and the noodly soup. I won't spill a single drop of Treasure." Diamond responded, "I will fly so PERFECTLY high that nobody will be able to reach the Treasure." Line was quiet then finally replied, "I'm not PERFECTLY anything. But I would take good care of the Treasure." The other shapes came back with mean remarks. Square said, "I'm worth four of you." After awhile the librarian finally said, "Our Treasure is made of many things, like knowledge and kindness and acceptance. The Treasure Keeper's job is to share it, not hide it or hoard it. With that in mind, congratulations to..."

This book has wonderful illustrations. Each shape has a personality. In addition to being colorful, the illustrations are also fun to explore. The illustrations complement the text well.

I really love how the rest of the story concludes. A must-have book for every daycare, school, church and home. This book teaches a lesson that needs to be learned early and reinforced often. This book is highly recommended.

Creative depictions of shapes and their quirks. Nice rhythmic writing. Witty and diverse characters. Disjointed and seemingly out-of-nowhere message. Engaging interactions. Fun personification of ordinary things. I appreciated the characters for their unique traits more than the plain plot. Overall, an average read.

As a School Counselor I love the message of this book. So many students have blended and non traditional families that it is wonderful for them to be able to see themselves in this book. I love the message about what makes a family and how family looks after and loves each other.

A wonderful and sweet book about identity and understanding and respecting differences. I loved the soft colors and style of the illustrations, the use of speech bubbles and dynamic lettering for text, and the visual representations of the shapes. I also loved the message of the story, and the focus on Line's determination. The idea that even if it's not as obvious as the traits of others, we all have something that makes us special and capable is such a great message for children, especially those who might worry that they're not as special as other kids.

This was a cute, simple children’s book. The integration of shapes and the different objects and purposes they could have was clever. The illustrations were well done.
The themes of exclusion, trying your best, and trying to find how your imperfections can be a strengths were handled well and showed an important lesson for all readers.

Cute illustrations and a thought provoking story about shapes and their purpose. I loved the beginning of the story how the shapes move and the descriptions of why certain shapes are useful. The problem for me came with the ending. It didn’t go the way I was expecting and I think I wanted it to be more. Regardless I think this is a great book yto use to discuss shapes and how different things are useful in different situations. I would recommend this be included in a teaching unit on shapes for younger grades.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for this arc. All thoughts are my own.

The illustrations are wonderful and will most certainly draw children in. Line Leads the Way would be a great read aloud while enhancing both math and social-emotional learning skills. Certainly a title I'll have to add to the classroom!

(This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!)