I received this book for free as a part of a social media camping however the opinion is completely my own.
Between My Hands by Mitali Perkins, illustrated by Naveen Selvanathan, is the third installment in her “Between” series. This book teaches children to social and emotional skills through acts of service.
The story follows, Maya, a young girl exploring her very vibrant and diverse community. Maya embarks on a journey through this dynamic community and investigates a question that she often ponders…
Maya learns from different members of her community about truth, justice, and mercy. This leaves her wondering, what does she offer between her hands.
“What’s between your hands when you namaste the world?”
REVIEW
I read this book to my kindergartener, and from the first page, he immediately felt a deep connection to the story. The inspiration for the picture above comes from a special moment we shared while reading the book together for the first time at bedtime. Since then, we’ve read it countless times, and it continues to be a favorite in our home.
I especially enjoyed learning the true meaning of “namaste.” It’s a word that has been in the English lexicon for so long, but I never fully grasped its richness until this book explained it in such a meaningful way. What I love most, though, is how the book beautifully illustrates that even children play an essential and integral role in every community with the unique gifts they bring. This story is a must-read for any family—pick up a copy to discover the special contributions that children make!
Read more about the author and illustrator below!
Thank you for reading and make sure to pick up a copy today at your local bookstore and remember…
“What’s between your hands when you namaste the world?”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mitali Perkins has written several books for young readers, including Home Is in Between, Between Us and Abuela, Forward Me Back to You, You Bring the Distant Near (a National Book Award Nominee, a Walter Honor Book, a South Asia Book Award Winner, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and a Shelf Awareness 2017 Best Book of the Year), Rickshaw Girl (a NYPL Top 100 Book), and Bamboo People (an ALA Top 10 YA novel). Mitali was born in India and currently resides in Northern California.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Naveen Selvanathan is a visual-development artist specializing in illustration and game and movie concept art. Naveen was born and raised in India and was always interested in art as a child. He eventually moved to San Francisco to pursue his master’s in fine art at Academy of Art University. He has worked with Disney Interactive Studios, Sony Pictures Animation, and DreamWorks Animation and has contributed to movie franchises such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Hotel Transylvania, and Puss in Boots. He is currently based in Los Angeles, California
Enjoy!
Maya
