WHO DOESN’T LOVE LITTLE BABY HANDS?
THIS IS ONE OF MY HANDS…
AND THIS IS THE OTHER.
MY HANDS LOVE TO PLAY TOGETHER.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
My name is Aloma. I’m a mother, pedagogue, writer, and editor.
Some of my happiest memories of my children’s early childhood are the moments in which we read together. I used to read to them every night before bed, in quiet afternoons and on rainy weekends, and whenever they’d come asking me to read them a book. Or reread it… I believe reading is part of a healthy childhood, and books use words and images to fuel the thoughts and emotions of children. My children are all grown up now, but I still remember the soft and delicate little hands they had when they were babies. I miss that… That’s why I wrote this book, to put down on paper
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
I’m Érika Astronauta and I studied graphic design and art history, but I chose to work in the universe of illustration for children. I have illustrated books from several different authors, as well as my own books. I’m a mother too, so I know what it’s like having a teeny tiny hand around to squeeze and kiss all the time. Illustrating this book was a delicious challenge, because the illustrations required a delicate trace, but accurate at the same time – an invitation to make our hands the true protagonists of this story.
ABOUT THE BOOK
This book was written for babies and very young children who are learning to enjoy holding a book in their hands. The single-line illustration traces are, in fact, an invitation for children to try to put their hands on the pages and reinterpret the text and the reading experience: they are the ones who assign an identity to the character. Hand movements are a crucial part of any baby’s routine, and they’ll soon realize that they can do the same thing that is written in the book, applying this learning to their day to day. But the book also has a strong and contrasting color: yellow. Yellow remits to light and the game of shadows that now invites adult readers to travel back to their own childhood and the old hand games that were so fun to play. “Little hands” is a book about interaction, discoveries, and, of course, bonding.
TIPS TO FORM CHILDREN READERS!
1. Read everyday, preferably always at the same time of day. This way, they’ll start to realize that the book is an important object of their daily routine.
2. Comment on the book you’ve just read, sharing your impressions about the text and the illustrations. This will teach them that reading is about interpreting different meanings of your own.
3. Comment on what you’ve learned from books in other moments throughout the day. This will teach them to associate reading with their own experiences.
THIS IS ONE OF MY HANDS, AND THIS IS THE OTHER. MY HANDS LOVE TO PLAY TOGETHER.
WHEN ALL OF THE LITTLE FINGERS COME TOGETHER, TWO DUCKLINGS START CHATTING.
PUT YOUR TWO THUMBS TOGETHER, AND A BIRDIE FLIES AWAY. CLAP CLAP HERE, CLAP CLAP THERE, AND SOON THE HANDS ARE DANCING EVERYWHERE.
PUT A LITTLE FINGER UP, AND THEY PLAY NO, NO, NO!
PUT ALL FINGERS UP, AND THEY PLAY BYE, BYE, BYE! BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT HANDS REALLY LIKE TO DO? THEY REALLY LIKE...
TO TICKLE YOU!