Whose Hands Are These?: A Community Helper Guessing Book

K-Gr 3—Paul and Powell have created an interactive rhyming gem: a guessing game with verbal and pictorial hints praising workers from a variety of fields. The recto of each spread features images of hands, which pop against white backgrounds, and a hint about which job is being described ("These hands help us keep the peace./Hold yours up, it's the…"). Readers turn the page for a full-color illustration revealing the occupation. Children will learn about farmers, cooks, police, scientists, potters, news reporters, mechanics, architects, referees, physicians, and teachers. These discoveries lead to the final spread, which expands the game to the thoughtful question, "What could your hands do?" At this point, an airplane pilot and astronaut are added to the picture, suggesting that when it comes to selecting a career, the sky is the limit. The back matter includes insightful explanations of the featured workers' duties.