The Book of Hands

This important and enchanting lyrical book, with its elegantly minimal text, celebrates the remarkable power of hands—how they warmly connect us through greetings, manifest beauty through creation, and tenderly restore through healing. The thoughtful narrative inspires readers of all ages to discover the countless wonderful ways their own unique hands can shape a brighter future and leave an enduring, beautiful impression on our world.

Author Fátima Fernández Méndez tells of the hands that shelter a parent and child through inclement weather, the hands that provide food and medicine, and the hands that create their future home and a promising new beginning.

Award-winning illustrator Violeta Cano brings this powerful journey to life through vibrant, emotion-filled artwork that authentically captures both the profound challenges and the triumphant resilience of this parent-child duo as they navigate their transformative path toward hope and belonging.

The Book of Hands stands as an essential picture book for young readers everywhere, addressing the timely and universal experiences of immigration journeys — stories that resonate across the United States and throughout our global community. This thought-provoking narrative opens pathways to meaningful conversations with young children. Through its gentle exploration of complex themes, this book cultivates empathy and understanding while empowering children to make a difference in their world.

Fátima Fernández Méndez was born in a fishing village in Asturias, Spain, and there she discovered that if you know how to listen, not only do people tell stories, but so does everything around us: the sea, the mountains and the sky. She is a great reader, a lover of words, and has a hand that writes, discovers, creates, and communicates.

Violeta Cano was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1997, surrounded by books brought to her by her mother, a librarian. Violeta now works as an author and illustrator in children's literature, while also starting her career as a preschool teacher. Wherever her path leads her, she hopes it's surrounded by children.