11. Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault

Bibliographic Citation:

Martin, Jr., Bill and John Archambault. Here are My Hands. Illustrated by Ted Rand. New York, NY: Henry Holt, 1998. 28p. ISBN 978-0805059113 

Awards/Selection Lists:
IRA-CBC Children's Choice Award

Format Examined:
Board book

Annotation:
Parts of the body and their functions are identified by children of different cultures.

Personal Reaction:
This book is perfect for small hands to hold as they learn to identify the names of parts of the body. The subtle way that diverse cultures are used through the illustrations to show that children are all the same but also different makes this a powerfully simple book.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 12 months-3 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Body parts, skin colors/diversity

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills:
Children become involved in the reading of this book through naming the body parts in the illustrations.

Phonological Awareness:
The rhyming text of the book almost reads like a poem, emphasizing how words can sound alike. 

Print Awareness:
The text on each page is in black and connects to the illustrations on the page. 

Print Motivation:
This book is a quick read and is fun for children who are learning their body parts. Small children are able to hold in their hands, making this an enjoyable book for very young children.

Vocabulary:
Body parts are named throughout the book, and functions are identified according to each part of the body, providing new words for the very young.

Author/ Illustrator Website:
Author website: http://www.billmartinjr.com/ 
Author website: http://www.johnarchambault.com/ 
No official illustrator site