Customer Reviews

Hands of the Maya: Villagers at Work and Play

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Beautifully photographed and engagingly written, this is a thoughtful portrayal of the Mayan people presented as a day-in-the-life, and focusing on a lifestyle where hands still do the work (instead of dishwashers, food processors, etc!) It would be a wonderful gift book for a young child, or a great classroom supplement for a pre-K through 2nd grade class focusing on the Americas, community, indigenous peoples... or even the human body!

My kids love this book - the photographs are amazing and interesting for young kids to look at. This is a terrific book. Can't wait to see what Rachel Crandell writes next!

"Hands of the Maya," chronicled in words and photos by Rachel Crandell, the woman who lived them, became an instant classic in my college class in Children's Literature, where we experimented with how to play with it in the classroom. The love these Mayan people exude for work, play and family is heartwarming, and like a beautiful jewel with many facets, the book gives us a deeper picture of a nearby and disappearing culture than we might ever expect. Reading it at home with the family or using it in any classroom will broaden children's concept of others and bring the world together as few other things could. I only hope Crandell's next book, "Hands of the Embera," about a wonderful cultural group living in Panama, will become available very soon.