Laura Rankin

Without a single printed word, this book says, "Reach out and touch someone." The Handmade Alphabet is a beautifully illustrated alphabet book with a subtle message of tolerance and love. It is a pictorial representation of the manual alphabet of the American Sign Language for the Deaf. This is truly a book that can be appreciated and utilized by all ages. Since it is a picture book its clarity and its useful symbolic memory aids make learning the manual alphabet as easy as ABC.

The manual show more alphabet is a integral part of American Sign Language and is a building block for the art of sign communication. Artist, Laura Rankin learned how to form the letters of the manual alphabet from her aunt but she learned its benefits up close and personal from her stepson who is deaf.

Each page in this book shows a single illustration of a hand, approximately life size, done in colored pencil on charcoal paper, scanner separated and reproduced in full color. Each hand is signing a different letter of the manual alphabet. Up in the corner of the illustration is the corresponding letter of the alphabet. Incorporated into the drawing of each hand is a symbolic object that begins with the letter that is being signed. For example, for the letter "V" the hand is holding a red valentine heart. The letter "P" shows a painter's palette and the finger tips of the hand are dipped in fresh orange paint. The letter "G" shows a hand wearing a blue glove. Another picture shows several bright strands of thread clutched in the hand and three thimbles on the fingers, with a gold one on the prominent thumb that protrudes through the fingers to make the letter "T". Each illustration is clever and helpful to the process of memorization.

All different kinds of hands are used for the illustrations, from baby hands to elderly hands. All ages and races are depicted as well as hands of males and females. The book seems to promote the beauty of human beings with our unique hands that help to define us as human. It seems to reach out, including everyone, without ever uttering a word.

I learned the manual alphabet a long time ago when I was a child but I thought this was a brilliant refresher course and I think it is an excellent tool for teaching the manual alphabet to children, beginning at a young age. It is a wonderful tool for teaching the ABCs to kids because the pictures that correspond are visually appealing and easily recognized. I think the physicality of the signed letters actually makes a complete right brain/left brain connection and can enhance the learning process for small children.

This is a beautiful book in every sense and is fun to share with children. It makes exploring through touching and paying attention to details a part of story time and adds an affectionate dimension that children will love. I think it should be in every child's library as it fosters communication and communication fosters peace. Extend a hand. You'll be glad you did. show less

In my opinion, this is a really great book. Rather then the usual alphabet books with the letter and a picture of something related to the letter, this book has the American Sign Language (ASL) handshape used to represent each letter of the alphabet. But rather than just have the handshape itself, each hand is holding something that starts with that letter. For example, letter F is shown making the handshape with fog going around and through the hand; the letter G is shown with a hand making show more the handshape that is wearing a glove. I really liked the unique way the author decided to portray the handshapes. Also, all the hands used were hands of all ages, shapes, sizes, and colors. I really liked how this aspect of multiculturalism was incorporated. The illustrations were not extremely bold but they were very detailed; the wrinkles and creases of each hand were vivid and shaded very well. The big idea of this book was to inform readers about the handshapes used to portray English letters in ASL. All in all I thought this was a really great book and I loved how unique it was. show less

Pammy and Wyatt are great friends. They love to do everything together. One day, Pammy forgets about taking turns and Wyatt doesn’t want to play anymore. Pammy doesn’t know why Wyatt is so mad until she sees what it is like to not get a turn.

My Turn is a cute story about taking turns. As a read aloud, this book gives the older preschooler a lot to talk about. It can be used to explore the concept of taking turns and how a child might feel if he/she never gets a turn. It could be used as show more part of a theme about being kind and learning empathy. Rankin combines text and illustrations that really express how a child perceives the world around her/him. show less

Fluffy and Baron is an endearing story about the friendship between an unlikely pair, a German Shepherd dog (Baron) and a Pekin duck (Fluffy). Fluffy grows from a duckling into an adult while spending all of her time eating, sleeping, and playing with her friend Baron. When spring comes, Fluffy joins some wild ducks that have landed in the pond and Baron is left alone. Once the ducks leave, Fluffy makes a nest and lays eggs. A few weeks later Baron not only has his best friend back, but nine show more surprises guaranteeing he will not be lonely anymore!

This book is illustrated with beautiful lifelike acrylic and ink pictures. There is an extra page at the end detailing the story�s basis on the author�s real-life childhood pets Fluffy and Baron, who were best friends (it includes pictures of the two real animals). This book will appeal to preschool through first grade children.

Reviewed by Kristen show less