Nonfiction Monday #2 :: The Handiest Things in the World by Andrew Clements

Find some more children's nonfiction must-reads over at Shelf-employed this Monday!

:: This book review was part of a post originally published here on 22 July 2010 ::

The Handiest Things in the World

by Andrew Clements

Photographs by Raquel Jaramillo

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

Copyright 2010

"Of all the handy things there are,
the hand itself is best by far.
To grab, to hold, to pull or twist -
the hand itself is handiest."

Publisher's Summary:  Eight fingers.  Two thumbs.  Two flat palms.  And all those knuckles.  But our hands are so much more than that.  They were once the first pair of earmuffs, a primitive visor, and a convenient set of chopsticks.  The work done by hands centuries and centuries ago paved the way for many of our favorite and most useful tools.  The always-clever Andrew Clements reminds us all that the mother of much invention is right at our fingertips!

Mary Elizabeth's Musings:  Delightful, colorful photographs combined with Mr. Clements' poetic verse make this book a gem to share with your little ones! Reminding us how truly spectacular our hands are, this book will inspire children to recognize the special work their hands do every day.  Digging in the dirt, feeling the rain, counting, and reaching out to one another are just a "handful" of ways our hands bring us through each day.  

I recommend this book for ages 2-6 years.