Hands On!

by Anne Wynter, Alea Marley (Illustrator)

Hands On! is a joyful board book celebration of a baby’s journey from crawling to taking their very first steps. The perfect board book for babies and their parents to share!

A great gift for expecting and new parents, Hands On! sweetly encapsulates this special time in a baby’s development.

Hand in hand
Left, right, left
Hands out wide
Step, step, step...

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, African American

24 pages, Board Book

Published January 4, 2022

Reviews

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book! I've choked up multiple times while reading it.

Isaac loves the boy, but he hasn't stayed engaged the entire story yet. But our combined enjoyment makes me want to buy this book so that I can always have access to it. (I've had the library book for a long while.)

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a book for your toddler or young child then this one will not disappoint! The rollicking rhyme is short and sweet and takes you and your young reader on an adventure of "firsts!"as the main character explores the world.

"Hands on floor drumming, drumming. Hands on strings strumming, strumming. Hands on grass chasing, chasing. Hands on truck racing, racing."

The vibrant bright playful illustrations engage young readers.

Expect a lot of giggles and glee when you read this book aloud. You'll have a captive audience!

[Marta-Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for baby storytime with lots of movements you can do with baby's hands and feet - shaking, drumming, splashing, smashing!

[Nicholas Solis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands On! by Anne Wynter had me teary eyed. As a dad to a toddler who is walking and now running on his own, this story perfectly encapsulated how our kids grow and we must let them go. The rhyme is perfect for kids, and the message is perfect for adults. That is a hard thing to do in a board book, but Anne nailed it! I highly recommend it.

[Laura Gehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

With jaunty rhymes that will be great fun to read aloud and cheery, expressive illustrations, this book takes little readers on a journey from crawling to walking. A great read both for kids approaching this huge milestone and for proud new walkers.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book for any parent! Loved how it went from baby learning about the world through their hands, then exploring the areas later when they could walk.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 5 out of 5]

This board book is bound to become covered in little finger prints. It’s a glimpse into the toddler world from their view point. It takes me back to the days when I observed the world through a toddler’s eyes and was reminded of the mystery and magic in everything around us. I love the way Anne Winter uses simple moments and simultaneously layers the experiential offerings of each: light, floor, grass, shore. These varied locations represent new moments for babies and toddlers. Alea Marley’s illustrations are works of art. I also love Anne Wynter’s board book “One Big Day” which marks the milestone moment of baby’s first birthday. Perfect gifts for new parents and milestone moments.

[Kate Allen Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful board book! This little book packs a big emotional punch. As a mom, I felt such joy as I watched the toddler in the story explore the world with their hands and feet before taking off running. The low word count and Wynter's elegant rhymes will keep the littlest (on-the-go) listeners engaged, especially when paired with with Marley's bold and colorful illustrations. This is perfect for toddlers and is sure to be treasured by parents and youngsters alike.

[Norene Paulson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another adorable board book from the Wynter/Marley team. Once again, Wynter's sparse, rhythmic text and Marley's adorable illustrations pair together perfectly to capture those special early childhood moments. HANDS ON! is sensory-filled exploratory journey from crawling to walking that parent and child alike will enjoy reading over and over. Also, check out Wynter and Marley's companion board book ONE BIG DAY. Perfect combo for gifting. Highly recommend both.

[Andrés · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect book from several aspects! The protagonist is adorable. The rhymes are natural. When a slightly abrupt rhyming shift appears: "Hand in hand / Left right left," it is to signal a developmental change. Readers will notice the baby now walking through the same environments they crawled in, and that's pretty special. The end is aspirational, and it feels like we've all come a long way with baby from the stroller!

[Ellen Leventhal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a precious book! This adorable board book shows the different things a toddler will do with her hands as she works her way up to walking. I had so much fun reading it, and little ones will be engaged in the snappy rhyme the whole way through. This book is definitely on my list for the next baby shower! Don't miss this one!

[Jilanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and engaging illustrations, coupled with perfect rhyme makes this board book a terrific read aloud. It's a multi-sensory experience involving touch, sound, and taste, with hands and feet taking their turns experiencing the world. Sure to be requested many many many times until it's memorized, and then your little one can "read" it all by themselves.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming board book composed of simple rhymes and cheerful illustrations exploring early childhood from crawling to walking and all the things a toddler touches along the way. Anne Wynter's rhymes roll off the tongue in a consistently jaunty meter, Alea Marley's art adds equal parts humor and heart.

[AEB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This darling board book by Anne Wynter takes readers on a journey from crawling to baby’s first steps and was a sweet reminder of when my children were small. Anne’s sparse, rhyming text nicely targets young readers and pairs perfectly with the adorable illustrations by Alea Marley. This lovely book and “One Big Day” from the same series would make great gifts for new moms and young children.

[Meghan Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect companion book to Wynter and Marley's One Big Day, Hands On! is a joy to read and reread. Wynter's words and Marley's illustrations soar in this board book all about exploring and growing. Both Hands On! and One Big Day would make great gifts for new baby, baby showers, or first birthdays.

[Joan Marr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable and energetic rhymes lead us hand-in-hand (pun intended!) through a child's exploration of the world as they work up to taking their first steps. The action/reaction words are all paired perfectly - hands on floor, drumming drumming, hands on strings, strumming strumming! - making for a super fun read-aloud that begs to be read again. This is a classic in the making!

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down, HANDS ON is perfect for storytime with babies and toddlers. Geared for young readers who are developmentally exploring their world with their hands, this story is so relatable to parents of babies/toddlers. With adorable illustrations and simple, but poignant text, this delightful board book will be my new go-to baby's first birthday gift (along with ONE BIG DAY).

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before babies can walk, their hands do a lot of things, from drumming on the floor to smashing pies. This would be a great one to read over and over as a child progresses from sitting upright to crawling to toddling to walking. It's a good one for babies and toddlers to move along with the words too.

[Sophia Gholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne Wynter is a master rhymer whose books are always a joy to read out loud. Little readers will giggle and enjoy Hands On! as they celebrate a busy tot’s first big steps. This is an excellent addition to all board book collections.

[Helen Wu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joyful fun read aloud with playful rhyming and vivid illustrations. It celebrates baby's transition from crawling to walking. It makes a perfect gift for baby shower and parent-child reading time for young readers!

[Great Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journey with baby and the many things that their hands help them with, especially their first steps.
Perfect for your little one, who is exploring the world and making strides to taking their first steps.

Reviewer #6

[Lisa Katzenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands On is an adorable book about a baby’s adventure in taking their first steps. It has a fun rhythm and shows baby playing inside and out in nature. The rhyme is so fun and brings great energy to this sweet story!

[Lauren Kerstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

These board books are simply adorable. They highlight milestones in such a wonderful way!

[Charlotte Offsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands On celebrates the transition from crawling to first steps. Masterfully written and a joy to read aloud, I highly recommend it for for the youngest littles in your life.⁠

[Kirsten Pendreigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute, baby friendly intro to movement! With gentle repetition and bright colors, little ones will love following baby as she discovers her world.

[Robyn McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Anne's lyrical picture book about a baby using their hands. Perfect gift for an expecting mother.

[Readreadread · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so fun to read aloud!! The rhymes and rhythm perfectly capture the wondrous explorations of a little one. The art is deliciously sweet. A classic to enjoy again and again and again!

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baby uses their hands to feel the world around them.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Momma and I loved this book! I helped turn the pages as Momma read.

[Ms. Arca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want this one !