delightful beginning chapter book that would also work as a read aloud/bedtime story (though it's very short and might easily be read in one sitting). ( )

Ok,, wow.. brilliant, a must read. Actually, a must-read aloud. I was so struck by the first line that I was glad my husband was handy so I could share it with him. He blinked, too. So, I read the next bit to him, to find out if this child is disturbed, or imaginative, or what the heck is going on. Are her hands pets? We read the next bit. We're both being very impressed & moved... so I wind up reading the whole thing aloud to him.

And reading it aloud with someone is the best way to appreciate it. On my own I would have read it too fast, probably thinking it much cuter than it is. It's not cute, actually. It's as dark as a nightmare, as intense as a temper tantrum. It's True.

Elizabeth Bird compares it to Where the Wild Things Are." I agree with her. Read her review to find out why - I can't write as well as she does. Max & Hannah are both wild and strong-willed, and they're still very much loved....

I just want to be sure to let you know the charcoal (?) illustrations are perfect. The idea of letting your hands have their own lives is probably a helpful coping strategy for lively children trying to develop impulse control. The fact that a reader can be 'on the side of' either sibling makes the story rich, and well-suited for discussions. I love the yoga poses that Sadie and Ratz do.

Oh gosh, I can't say anything well enough. Just know that I will look for more by the author, and would definitely recommend it to any family with strong-willed siblings." ( )

What can Hannah's two hands "Sadie" and "Ratz" do? Plenty, and they find they're in more trouble than Hannah realized. Fun read a loud for K-1, and discussion in terms of self-awareness and responsibility.
PYP Learner - Reflective, Thinker. PYP Attitudes - creativity, empathy, respect, tolerance. ( )

This was a great book about Hannah a little girl who uses her hands Sadie and Ritz for her reason in being a wild beast. Her baby brother also will have wild beast hands which their names are Colin and Scraps. Sonya Hartnett did a great job writing this story because you must have a wild imagination to find it amusing. ( )

This is one of the best written and most sophisticated early readers I have ever read. Hannah is a little girl who projects her anger, frustrations, and inclinations for mischief on Sadie and Ratz, the names she gives to her hands which are "wild beasts." I am awed by Hartnett's remarkable ability to so perfectly capture a young child's imagination and perspective. Ann James's striking illustrations are also notable. ( )