Author: Mamta Nainy
Illustrator: Jo Loring-Fisher
Publisher: Lantana Publishing
Ages: 4-8
Nominated for the 2023 Yoto Carnegie Medal, Rainbow Hands tells the gentle story of a boy who uses his mother’s nail polish to paint his nails and discover himself.
In the afternoons when I play ball,
dig in the dirt or pick up worms . . .
I paint my nails to match
the mess and squelch.
A MOSSY GREEN.
Each double page spread, lusciously covered in Loring-Fisher’s dreamlike artwork, gently caresses Nainy’s simple and elegant verse reflecting the young boy’s mood and a chosen color. With each turn of the page, we learn a bit more about our protagonist and the world he inhabits. Is he accepted? Is he an outcast?
Contemplative and affirming Rainbow Hands is never preachy. Think of it as a “slice of life” picturebook–providing a window into an experience you may not recognize; or, providing a mirror for a life you know too well.
Simply lovely.
Rainbow Hands (Amazon)*
Rainbow Hands (Support an Independent Bookstore)*
My thanks to Nube Ocho for providing a Review Copy of this book. All opinions provided herein are my own.
More books for this Age Group can be found here.
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