Dancing Hands

Chronicle Books and co-authors Joanna Que and Charina Marquez have delivered something genuinely special here. 'Dancing Hands' follows Sam, who discovers that new neighbor Mai communicates through Filipino Sign Language — hands that move 'as if to music' — and the two build a friendship as Mai teaches Sam FSL word by word. Co-author Marquez was born deaf and is an FSL instructor and deaf rights advocate, which gives the book an authenticity that shows on every page. A visual FSL glossary in English and Filipino adds real educational value. The Schneider Family Book Award Honor and Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Honor are well earned. The cultural specificity to Filipino-American experience is a strength for many readers and may simply mean the book takes a moment longer to find its audience in other communities. Warmly recommended for families and classrooms.