Little hands and big hands: American Sign Language for children and adults

CHICAGO — Appropriate for adults who are completely new to signing, “Little Hands & Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together,” by Kathy MacMillan, is an authoritative guide on sign language that helps readers engage with children up to age 5, regardless of their hearing ability. Each of the eight chapters contains a variety of activities, such as games, finger plays, songs and crafts, which help children develop language skills, improve communication and self-expression and raise their self-esteem. All vocabulary comes from American Sign Language (ASL), a language with formalized grammatical conventions that stimulates language centers of the brain. Illustrations of the relevant signs are prominently featured throughout the book, and the activities have all been tested in MacMillan’s own “Little Hands Signing” classes since 2006. The book is published by Huron Street Press, a trade publishing imprint of the American Library Association available through Independent Publishers Group as well as numerous traditional retail outlets in both print and e-book editions.

MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter that has taught basic American Sign Language to thousands of children, parents and educators through interactive stories, songs and games. She has authored or co-authored many books, including “A Box Full of Tales,” “Storytime Magic,” “Kindergarten Magic” and “Multicultural Storytime Magic.” She was the library/media specialist at the Maryland School for the Deaf from 2001 to 2005, and prior to that, a public children’s librarian.

In line with ALA’s mission to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all, Huron Street Press, a publishing imprint of the American Library Association, harnesses the expertise of the Association and encourages library use among the public. Huron Street Press is administered through ALA Editions, which publishes resources used worldwide by tens of thousands of library and information professionals to improve programs, build on best practices, develop leadership, and for personal professional development. ALA authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a growing range of print and electronic formats. Contact ALA Editions at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5052 or editionsmarketing@ala.org.