Dancing Hands: A Story of Friendship in Filipino Sign Language

Through a window, young Sam notices their neighbors sharing a meal and conversing in sign language at the start of this spare picture book: “Our new neighbors’ hands are dancing. Their hands move as if to music.” After Sam encounters the child, Mai, en route to school, the two become friends. As they bond, “There were times we didn’t understand each other. I thought we were running up the hill. Mai thought that we were hiding behind a tree.” To prevent further miscommunication, “Mai taught my hands to dance,” the two intertwining fingers, and they are soon sharing their sensory observations, likes, and dreams. Alvarez’s colored pencil and graphite illustrations statically convey each gesture, while distinctive, reiterative details—flower patterns, lined hair—mimic the concept of hands learning to echo one another. Skin tones reflect the white of the page. Notes on Filipino Sign Language and global sign languages conclude. Ages 3–5. (July)