When a little boy paints his nails with his mum's nail polish, he discovers the most important thing of all: the magic of being his true self. As the long Indian summer days stretch ahead of him, a young boy looks forward to his favourite time - painting-your-nails-time. He knows that when he dips his brush into those magical bottles of nail polish, he will find a colour to express his every mood and feeling. Purple is the colour of magic and mystery. White is the colour of endless possibilities. At times, his Papa frowns and says, "What have you done to your nails?" At other times, he says, "Why don't you paint on paper instead?" But the little boy knows that painting his nails makes his hands look beautiful. This colour-filled story celebrates the joy of finding out who you are and embracing the courage to be yourself.

KEYWORDS: LGBTQ; queer; identity; growing up; pride; family; diversity; inclusion. A joyful story about a little boy who uses nail polish to express himself. A focus on finding creative ways to express emotions and feelings. A body positive story about celebrating one's identity. A loving family learning to accept and value their son's choices. A main character of colour by an #OwnVoices author.

About the Author
Mamta Nainy is an award-winning author of over thirty books. She is inspired by the unfettered imagination of children and is passionate about stories that are inclusive and empowering. Mamta lives and dreams in New Delhi. Jo Loring-Fisher is an artist, illustrator, and storyteller based in the United Kingdom. She holds an MA in Children's Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art. She is the author and illustrator of 'Taking Time' and illustrator of 'Maisie's Scrapbook'.

Reviews
The Guardian, July 22 Book of the Month 2022. Read Across America, Book of the Month 2022. "Rainbow Hands is a heart-warming, colourful delight. It evokes childhood memories, hopes that children are allowed to fulfil their dreams to be who they are, and above all, the fact that the boy is loved for being himself. Magic!"-Khakan Qureshi BEM, Founder of Birmingham South Asians LGBT-Finding A Voice; "This quiet tale of family life unfolds gently, each mood sympathetically illustrated in soft, fuzzy colours, every page turn bringing a new colour palette. A body positive story about celebrating an individual's identity."-Books for Keeps; "Rainbow Hands is a stunning and magnetic picture book cataloguing the different colours a little boy paints his nails in order to express his moods and feelings. Something in the way this book has been crafted stopped me in my tracks. I slowed down to absorb the pages both in terms of the stunning, dappled images and to consider the ideas conjured up by the colours."-Just Imagine


Awards
Winner of The Guardian, July 22 Book of the Month 2022 and Read Across America, Book of the Month 2022 and USBBY Outstanding International Book 2023 (United States).



Book Information
ISBN 9781913747831
Author Mamta Nainy
Format Hardback
Page Count 32
Imprint Lantana Publishing
Publisher Lantana Publishing
Weight(grams) 381g
Dimensions(mm) 260mm * 260mm * 8mm