Parents and teachers often have difficulty finding books that are truly Montessori-friendly when teaching concepts such as letters and numbers. I’m excited today to share books from a Montessori-inspired publisher that might be new to you. That Montessori-inspired book publisher is Hands-on-Prints.
Disclosure: Hands-on-Prints gave me a copy of each book in this review. I was not required to write anything positive, and my opinions are honest and my own. This post also contains Amazon and Book Depository Affiliate Links.
I love finding a publisher that specifically focuses on Montessori-inspired books for children. Not only do the books from Hands-on-Prints provide lots of information, but they encourage mindfulness at the same time.
Sandpaper Letter and Number Books
I had previously written about Montessori tactile letter and number books. I was excited to find new sandpaper letter and number books that teach letters and numbers and can be extended to teach much more. The tactile letters in these books aren’t rough to the touch, so they’ll appeal to many children who may not like the feel of the traditional sandpaper letters and numbers.
A Handful of Numbers
A Handful of Numbers by Christinia Cheung & Han Tran is available from Hands-on-Prints or Amazon. You can look inside the book at either place.
Looking at the Sun in the Sandpaper Number Book, A Handful of Numbers
This book quickly became one of my almost 2-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter, Zoey’s favorite books. It’s a fascinating look at our earth and solar system with 1 earth, 2 poles, 3 oceans, 4 directions, 5 geologic layers, 6 colors of the rainbow, 7 continents, 8 planets, 9 weather patterns, and 10 fingers (that “have built pyramids, bridges, cathedrals, schools, houses, and princely halls”). The illustrations are vivid and inviting. Zoey is fascinated with the fiery sun illustration.
Tracing Sandpaper Number 10 in the Book, A Handful of Numbers
For toddlers and young preschoolers, you can just say and trace the sandpaper numeral before reading the text in bold type, such as “8 planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune” while pointing at each of the objects being named. With older children, you can read the rhyming text, which gives an amazing amount of information. The illustrations expand on the text, too. And a fun Montessori touch … a number rod is shown for each number. I love this book!
yi er san: Moving with Numbers (Chinese Edition)
yi er san: Moving with Numbers by Christinia Cheung is available from Hands-on-Prints or Amazon. You can look inside the book at either place.
This would be a great way for preschoolers and elementary-age children to learn the numbers 1-10 in Chinese. The illustrations all show acrobatic movement in the form of each number. There are many details to make learning each number easier. I appreciate the simplicity of how each stroke is shown. I can’t think of an easier way to learn to write numbers in Chinese! You’ll find lots of information for older children, too, such as the 55 minority groups in China that are featured and shown on a map of China. The book could stimulate research in a number of areas.
Around the World from a to z
Around the World from A to Z by Christinia Cheung and Han Tran is available from Hands-on-Prints and Amazon. You can see inside the book at Hands-on-Prints.
Around the World from a to z gives parents and teachers an easy way to introduce cursive letters to preschoolers. I think every child needs to learn cursive if for no other reason than to eventually be able to read the handwriting of grandparents or great-grandparents who might send a letter in cursive. This book is packed with information, including a section for parents and teachers on the importance of tactile letters and cursive letters.
The book itself uses physical movement as the basis for each letter, such as “a” for acrobatics. Then there is an acrostic poem that gives more information on the physical activity as well as on a famous site. Elementary-age children (and adults) can learn a lot of cultural information from this book, too!
More Montessori-Inspired Children’s Books for Preschool and Elementary-Age Children
Do I have to? What if I don’t want to …
Do I Have To?: What If I Don’t Want To . . . by Jamie Anderson, Christinia Cheung, and Beth O’Connor is available on Amazon or Book Depository (with free delivery worldwide)
This book isn’t on the Hands-on-Prints site, since it’s actually published by Inst. for Collaborative Communication, although Christinia Cheung (an author of all the Hands-on-Print books) is one of the co-authors of Do I Have To?: What If I Don’t Want To . . . This is a book that helps children and parents learn together. Children learn to identify their feelings along with different techniques for dealing with the frustration of having to do things they don’t want to do. Parents learn listening techniques and helpful phrases to say. Inside the front cover, there’s even an envelop containing a booklet on how to listen. I like this Montessori-friendly book for both preschoolers and parents.
Nuts for Coconuts
Nuts for Coconuts by Christinia Cheung and Han Tran is available from Hands-on-Prints, Amazon, and Book Depository (with free delivery worldwide). You can look inside the book at Hands-on-Prints.
This book would be an interesting book to add to a study of various foods. It’s probably best for early elementary. It gives a lot of information about cultures and the varied uses of coconuts around the world.
A Persistent Vine
A Persistent Vine (Botanical Tales: the Maligned Creeper) by Han Tran and Christinia Cheung is available at Hands-on-Prints and Amazon. You can look inside the book at both places.
A Persistent Vine is best for elementary age. Advanced preschoolers could enjoy it as well, since it’s inspired by the Montessori botany cabinet. The morning glory plant has cordate leaves, and the book focuses on plants with cordate leaves. It’s also a 9th century Japanese tale with a moral. Its story about “creepers” is meant to “encourage discussion of how we may evolve with (all) plants mindfully and harmoniously.”
The Chartres Cathedral
Geometry through Architecture: The Chartres Cathedral by Han Tran and Christinia Cheung is available at Hands-on-Prints and Amazon. You can look inside the book at either place.
This book is designed for elementary-age children. It’s packed with so much information that both elementary-age children and adults can learn a tremendous amount from the book. Preschoolers might enjoy looking at and talking about the beautiful illustrations and the shapes within the book. There’s so much here from geography and history to architecture, geometry, theology, and philosophy. This is a deep book that can grow with a child. It would especially be a great addition to a homeschool unit study or school research project on cathedrals.
I’m very happy to know about Hands-on-Prints. Their books are wonderful extensions for Montessori works that start at ages 3-6 and extend into the elementary years at a new level of understanding.
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Dear Deb,
Thank you for the wonderful, detailed review of Hands-on-Prints’ books! It’s great to see your granddaughter so engaged with our new number book, A Handful of Numbers. It’s important to us that books are fun, visually and mentally engaging, educational and promote a sense of mindfulness.
Our Montessori-inspired books are a great supplement to and extensions of what children are learning in the Montessori environment and at home! We hope you keep enjoying these books for years and years to come!
Sincerely,
The Hands-on-Prints Team
My pleasure! You’ve done a wonderful job of creating books that are fun and engaging on many levels. I know Zoey (and I) will enjoy the books for many years. They’re definitely books that can grow with her!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the books. A Handful of Numbers looks like a really good book!