Hands Around the World: 365 Creative Ways to Build Cultural Awareness & Global Respect

As a long time guide leader (like girl scouts in the USA :) ) I use this book all the time with my unit of girls aged 9-14. It is full of wonderful ideas - some practical ones ready to do instantly, some which make the girls stop and think about things, and some which require a bit more planning to make happen. The book is in a format where there is an entry for each day of the year but I have not used it that way - we just delve into it when we need inspiration, or when we are looking for ideas for a particular theme. The entries include games, crafts, food, information, myths & legends and ideas - all of which can lead you off in other directions if you let them. The book has a good index which is a huge help in finding things when I need them.I highly recommend this book to other youth group leaders as well as teachers and parents (I can't wait until my children are a little older so I can share it with them :) ). The book does exactly what the title says and I think it would fit in wonderfully well with the objectives of most well known international youth groups. It would also make a wonderful present for the right kid (aged about 8-14) - especially for those who are self-motivated to explore the world around them, are being home-schooled, or have parents / caregivers who have enough time to do some of the projects with them :)

For teachers, parents, and other caregivers of children of a broad age range, I highly recommend this book. The ideas are well displayed and organized and, when acted upon, should prove to fulfill their promise of helping to build cultural awareness. The overall upbeat tone of the writing should encourage both adults and children to enjoy it. There are additional appended lists of relevant organizations, suppliers, and book titles. As a children's librarian, I can attest to the potential usefulness of this very handy volume!