Hands : Growing Up to be an Artist
Gorgeous book about a child who grows up with creative parents.
A child sees her parents building, sewing and gardening, and knows she wants to do all the things they do. I say 'she' only because the author/illustrator is female. As the photographs only reveal the materials, tools and finished projects, the character could be either a boy or a girl.
Projects that the parent and child work on together are lovingly photographed, showing different ways someone can be creative. Scraps from adult projects are gathered together on the child's own craft table to create something new in the hands of the child.
The format of the book itself is a creative work. A mixed set of screwdrivers lies beneath an old tin box. The lid of a splattered paint box opens to reveal a tray of watercolors. Pages with life-sized garden and work gloves are cut out around the fingers. It's a novelty book with attitude.
My three-year-old loves lifting the flaps. He touches the photographs as if they were real. He aligns his little hands with the fingers of the gloves. It's wonderful to see him interacting with a book like this.
Older children (and adults) will be inspired by the message and the materials. There are many ways to be creative. Find the one that works for you, find a spot to call your own, and go for it.
In the author's note, Caldecott Honor-winning artist Lois Ehlert explains how she grew up in a household with parents who made things with their hands. Her artistic side was encouraged with her own table where she could leave a mess each day. She hopes to encourage others with this book.
