Dancing Hands, an endearing book that gently presents to the readers the beauty of sign language, is written by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez. The dialogue is spare, but moving, and the drawings that accompany it show the graceful yet powerful movement of Filipino Sign Language as we are guided through the basics as a friendship blossoms. This book celebrates the meaningful connections we make when we’re able to overcome language barriers.
It begins with the main character, a young girl named Sam, who observes her new neighbors making curious gestures with their hands, “their hands move as if to music.” During Sam’s walk to school, she sees their daughter, Mai, and as their paths continue to cross, the girls become quick friends. Their friendship hits certain bumps when they have a misunderstanding while playing. Through Mai’s teaching of the “hands to dance,” they share their dreams for the future, and solidify their friendship as they both make the sign for a friend.
The illustrations by Fran Alvarez are mesmerizing, flowing through the pages, showing the elegant hand movements and fluidity of the character’s actions as they frolic together. The simplicity of the lines and muted colors invoke a dreamlike innocence and pull the reader into the magic of the story.
(Ages 4-7)
