The charming stop-motion series Shape Island, which recently launched its second season on Apple TV+, began its life as a series of simple yet profound picture books. In an exclusive interview, the creators revealed how the adventures of Circle, Square, and Triangle made the jump from the page to the screen while keeping their unique personalities intact.
The show is based on the internationally bestselling Shape Trilogy of children’s books, written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen. The television adaptation brings the three distinct characters—serious Square, intrepid Circle, and tricky Triangle—to life in a tactile, stop-motion world. The second season of the Emmy Award-winning series arrived on August 29, 2025 .
From Page Turns to Screen Time
The transition from a book to a television show required a thoughtful approach. Jon Klassen explained that the key was understanding the different strengths of each medium. Books use tools like page turns and still images to build suspense and define character, while animation offers new possibilities for storytelling .
Klassen noted that they hoped the characters themselves were strong enough to exist beyond the book format. He stated:
“The characters were apart from that form. How we told the story… the book hopefully played into the strengths of what books can give you. But the substance of it- what animated those stories, the characters themselves- weren’t trapped by that. It turned out that they could walk right off into a different form and do just as well” .
This successful transition meant that fans of the books would not feel betrayed but would instead deepen their relationship with the characters .
Building the World of Shape Island
One of the biggest challenges was transforming the books’ minimalist style, which often featured shapes against a blank background, into a full, physical world. Director and executive producer Drew Hodges pointed out that while the books use negative space to engage the reader’s imagination, the show had to fill that space with physical sets and props .
The creators chose stop-motion animation for its tangible, three-dimensional quality. This decision, while labor-intensive, paid off by grounding the characters in a real world that feels accessible to children. The sense that Triangle is sitting under a real tree with real light hitting him helps the audience believe the world continues even after the episode ends .
The process was lengthy, taking about 20 months to produce the first season. The animators and puppet makers became deeply connected to the characters, with their performance choices often influencing the writing and adding new dimensions to the personalities of Circle, Square, and Triangle .
The Voices Behind the Shapes
The series features a talented voice cast that helps bring the shapes to life. Harvey Guillén voices the empathetic and rule-following Square, Gideon Adlon plays the wise Circle, and Scott Adsit provides the voice for the messy and silly Triangle . The show is narrated by Yvette Nicole Brown, who has expressed her love for the project.
Reflecting on her role, Brown shared:
“This is my favorite show that I’ve done voiceover for… It’s like a warm hug. You just kind of lay in there and you tell the story. So this is my favorite voiceover to do and it’s one of my favorite shows to watch because it’s just so beautiful and just soulful. It’s just a soulful, sweet show” .
Mac Barnett described the cast as “gifted comedians,” and Harvey Guillén explained that he worked to make Square relatable, ensuring audiences would be on his side even when he faces challenges .
A Calmer Rhythm for Kids
A defining feature of Shape Island is its gentle pace, a deliberate choice by the creators. They wanted to avoid the loud, fast-paced style common in much of children’s animation. They brought on Drew Hodges, known for his work on the calm show Tumbleleaf, to help achieve this vision .
Klassen and Barnett described the show’s maximum volume as “like an eight,” in contrast to other shows that “go to twelve and blast you” . The goal was to grab attention with atmosphere and gentleness rather than shouting, creating a show that feels more like a quiet discovery than an assault on the senses.
Expanding the Story in Season Two
With the world and characters firmly established, the second season explores new storytelling avenues. One notable episode, “Narrator’s Big Day,” focuses on the narrator herself, voiced by Yvette Nicole Brown. The idea came from the writing team, and the episode allows the narrator to be reactive and emotional, making her a part of the story rather than just an all-knowing voice .
Another episode, “Triangle Stands Still,” plays with the idea of mindfulness. It started as a joke about having a character stand still in stop-motion for 11 minutes but evolved into a story that acknowledges the value of meditation while also poking fun at it, with Triangle stumbling into transcendence almost by accident .
The writing for the series is led by head writer Ryan Pequin, who worked closely with Barnett and Klassen. During the development of the first season, Mac Barnett often collaborated late at night with Pequin, a schedule that worked for both of them .
A Lasting Connection for Audiences
At its core, the philosophy behind both the books and the show is to ask questions rather than provide simple answers. Barnett explained that they see stories as a way to explore mysteries and convey complexity, respecting the audience’s intelligence .
This approach creates a deeper connection for children, who often want to engage with the questions posed by the story. Barnett noted, “Kids love talking about them afterward — they’ll often ask, ‘Who was the shape in the dark?’ Not because they’re frustrated, but because they want to engage with the question” .
The journey from page to screen for Shape Island shows how strong characters and a respect for the audience can create a successful adaptation that honors its source material while expanding into new and imaginative territories. The complete series, including the new second season, is available to stream on Apple TV+ .
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Credits: Apple TV+
