Drawing With Your Hands

Children's Literature

Kids love to draw. Just the act of drawing is satisfying to young children. As they get older and their motor skills develop, so does their interest in perfecting their drawing skills. The "Drawing is Easy" series is a very clever approach that uses templates to help kids develop those abilities. Four steps are illustrated for drawing each one of the ten creatures/objects in each volume. The format is simple and easy to follow. The page with the instructions is divided into quadrants with the position of the template highlighted in the center of the page. Steps one through three show the template object lying on the page with a pencil tracing the shape. The last step is to add the lines that complete the drawing. What object could be more readily available to be used as a template than a hand? A hand with all fingers spread wide is traced and turned into a rooster. The page opposite the directions shows the final line drawing in color with a couple variations. A cat, a duck, a dog, a rabbit, a fish and a pigeon are among the images created by drawing around different configurations of the hand. Two of the more advanced drawing projects are a cockatoo and a flying bird. The flying bird involves two hands put together. The final drawings are loose and interpretive, encouraging exploration and experimentation. 2003, Gareth Stevens Publishing, Ages 4 to 10.
— Kristin Harris

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-De Rosamel combines minimal text with clear, colorful illustrations to show children how to make pictures out of their fingerprints or by tracing their hands. Each volume includes 10 projects that can be completed in 4 simple steps, along with suggested variations. Even very young children will be able to follow the pictures to produce their own creations. Hands, the more unique of the two books, makes clever use of outlines to portray such creatures as a rooster, a cat, and a snail. Both offerings end with three recommended titles on drawing and two useful Web sites. Additional purchases.-Marion F. Gallivan, Gannon University, Erie, PA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.