Loving Hands

Loving hands lift, carry, hold, and give in a tender meditation on the everlasting bond between a parent and a child.

Hands wave hello, hands hold, hands heal. Hands say, I am here for you always. In simple, stirring rhymes, author Tony Johnston pens a timeless ode to parenthood. The small moments and quiet scenes that make up childhood — learning to clap, planting a garden, waving good-bye on the first day of school — fill the pages of this gentle tale, capturing the reassurance and love that parents hand their children every day. Warm illustrations by Amy June Bates show a young boy reaching for his mother’s hand as he grows older and more independent . . . until, perhaps, he can be the one to offer love and support with hands that say, I am here for you always. An eloquent look at the passage of time and the power of connection and care, this book is a heartfelt gift for loved ones at any and all milestones in life.

Tony Johnston is the award-winning author of more than one hundred children’s books, including Cat, What Is That?, illustrated by Wendell Minor; First Grade, Here I Come!, illustrated by David Walker; and A Small Thing . . . but Big, illustrated by Hadley Hooper. She lives in California.

Amy June Bates has illustrated more than forty books for children, including Ketzel, The Cat Who Composed by Lesléa Newman and Applesauce Weather by Helen Frost. Amy June Bates lives in Pennsylvania.