Between My Hands

Ages 4 to 8

An uplifting picture book about the Indian custom of namaste, meaning "I bow to you," and how children can contribute to their community--by a National Book Award nominee.

What’s between your hands

when you namaste the world?

Maya is only three days into summer vacation and already bored. Outside her window, the street is full of neighbors. Coming and going. Earning and spending. Fixing and mending. Everyone has something to do—everyone’s hands are busy.

Except Maya’s. When she opens her palms, they are empty. They are small.

What in the world can her hands do?

In this encouraging, reassuring picture book, National Book Award Nominee Mitali Perkins shows how little hands are capable of big things. As Maya longs to do something useful alongside her neighbors—proclaim truth, stand for justice, or show mercy—she discovers that children can give the greatest gift of all: love.

About the Author

Mitali Perkins has written several books for young readers, including Home Is in Between, Between Us and Abuela, Forward Me Back to You, You Bring the Distant Near (a National Book Award nominee, a Walter Honor Book, a South Asia Book Award winner, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and a Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year), Rickshaw Girl (an NYPL Top 100 Book), and Bamboo People (an ALA YA Top Ten pick). Mitali was born in India and currently resides in Northern California. mitaliperkins.com

Naveen Selvanathan is a visual development artist with over 10 years of experience in illustration, game, and movie concept art. He is currently based in Los Angeles and is working at DreamWorks Animation. naveenselvan.com