Indigo Hands

Here is a heartwarming picture book about family, tradition… and indigo! An Indian girl accompanies her grandfather to his indigo studio, where she learns, step-by-step, how to dye cloth–and her hands!–the color of the midnight sky. Neela can’t wait to go to her Dadu’s indigo studio, where he’ll teach her to dye white cloth a brilliant indigo blue. On the way, Dadu and Neela stop at the indigo farm, so she can see how this special dye is made. They watch as women collect indigo leaves and men stomp on them in water-filled tanks. Then, it’s off to Dadu’s studio where they mix last year’s indigo in a big pot with lime and date juice. At last, the indigo dye is ready. Neela dips in her cloth, waits for it to dry, and–magic!–it turns a shade of blue like no other. And now her hands are stained indigo, too, just like Dadu’s. This touching intergenerational story, accompanied by vibrant artwork, celebrates passing down a beloved tradition and showcases the how-tos of a unique and important craft.