Rainbow Hands

A young Indian boy spends his days playing, reading and studying. But his favourite time of the day is painting-his-nails-time with his Ma.

Every time he dips the brush into the magical bottles of nail varnish, he finds a colour that perfectly suits his mood and feelings that day – whether that's matching the mossy greens of the garden when he digs up dirt, a mysterious purple after a magical dream of fairies or a joyful yellow to match the dancing bumblebees and sunflowers.

But the boy's father seems unable to understand his fondness for painting his nails, leaving the boy frustrated, confused, and angry. On those days, he paints his nails a fiery red. But Dadaji, his grandfather, is always there to remind him to always shine bright and stay to true to who he is.

Full of heart and colour, this is a joyful celebration of self-discovery and staying true to oneself. The book gently challenges gender norms, opening up the possibility for further discussions.

Jo Loring-Fisher's poignant illustrations are soft and colourful, working brilliantly with Mamta Nainy's poetically crafted words.