Kicking off the new year with imaginative storytelling, Shape Island is a new animated series debuting on Apple TV+ on January 20. Based on Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen’s bestselling Shapes picture book trilogy, the show brings to life three geometric friends—Triangle, Circle, and Square—in a whimsical, stop-motion world.
The eight-episode series follows the adventures of these quirky characters as they explore their island home and navigate the challenges of friendship. Voiced by a talented cast—Harvey Guillén (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) as Square, Scott Adsit (Big Hero 6) as Triangle, and Gideon Adlon (Blockers) as Circle—the show also features narration by Yvette Nicole Brown (Disenchanted). Directed by Drew Hodges (Tumble Leaf), the series is executive produced by Barnett, Klassen, Hodges, and Kelli Bixler, with Ryan Pequin (Regular Show) serving as head writer.
Barnett and Klassen were deeply involved from the beginning, helping guide everything from character development to casting. “These books mean a lot to us,” Barnett told Publishers Weekly. “We wanted the show to capture the spirit we created on the page.” Adapting to a new medium posed new creative challenges, but the pair embraced the shift. “In a picture book, you know what you’re working with. With TV, it’s about discovering the world as you build it,” Klassen added.
Transitioning simple 2D illustrations into 3D stop-motion characters brought some unexpected attention—from math enthusiasts. “We called them Triangle, Square, and Circle,” Barnett laughed. “But we knew they were technically a tetrahedron, cube, and sphere.” Klassen added, “We don’t care. They’re our shapes.”
Barnett and Klassen’s creative chemistry, honed over years of collaboration, helped them navigate the project. “We have a kind of telepathy,” Barnett explained. “Often I’d translate what Jon meant, or he’d clarify what I was frustrated about—but nicely.” But opening their creative circle to a larger team wasn’t easy at first. “We were used to just working with each other,” Klassen said. “We had to learn how to explain ourselves to a group. It took some adjustment.”
Fortunately, working with the voice cast brought joy and surprises. Adsit’s energetic and hilarious takes on Triangle left everyone in stitches. “One moment he’s dressed all serious, the next he’s doing this wild character that has us rolling on the floor,” Barnett said. Klassen agreed: “It was great to see how seriously they took the material.”
Though the duo may not be stepping into voice acting themselves, they haven’t ruled it out. Klassen previously voiced a deer in I Want My Hat Back, and Barnett teased that he might convince him to return to the mic.
In addition to Shape Island, Barnett and Klassen have more projects on the horizon. Their picture book How Does Santa Go Down a Chimney? is due out this fall, and Barnett has another upcoming collaboration with Christian Robinson, Twenty Questions.
Ultimately, they hope Shape Island captures the same quiet magic as their books. “We always say the most important moment is when the book is closed and the story continues in a child’s mind,” Barnett said. “We want that same reflection with the show.”
Klassen concluded, “We’re not here to teach. We’re telling stories about what it’s like to be human—through three shapes on a magical island. Seems simple enough, right?”
