Dancing Hands: A Story of Friendship in Filipino Sign Language

Written by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez, Karen Llagas (Translator)
Illustrated by Fran Alvarez
Published by Chronicle Books LLC

Our new neighbors’ hands are dancing. Their hands move as if to music. What are they saying to each other?

Sam’s new neighbors’ hands make graceful movements she doesn’t recognize, and she wonders what they are saying. Soon she meets her new neighbor, Mai, who teaches Sam some Filipino Sign Language. Along the way, they both discover the joys of making a new friend, a best friend.

This sweet and perceptive picture book by authors Joanna Que and Charina Marquez tells the story of two girls as they learn to communicate with each other. With playful illustrations that celebrate the beautiful movements of sign language, back matter discussing sign languages around the world, and endpapers teaching all the signs used in the book, Dancing Hands conveys the shy and fumbling experience of making friends and overcoming language barriers.