Left and Right

By Lorna Hendry, Wild Dog, 2017.

‘Do you know your left from your right?
Which hand do you write with?
Does your left and right eye see the same thing?
What side of the road do cars drive on and why?
Here is everything you need to know about left and right!’

Left and Right is an innovative book by Australian author, Lorna Hendry. This is an interactive book that invites the reader to get involved by taking action and practicing what they’re reading. I did it myself when I read it! It works really well at helping you learn left from right by providing practical exercises and tools that you can employ to commit left and right to memory.

It also assists with being observant and mindful of yourself and others. I could imagine children taking more notice of what they are doing and how, such as kicking a ball (which foot), brushing their teeth (which hand). Who knew that the eye I wink with is the same as the hand I write with but is different to the ear I listen with? These are things I hadn’t thought about before.

Left and Right is scattered with practical exercises, thinking exercises, and useful and interesting facts about Left and Right.

Not only does this book teach you about left and right, but it also delves into historical and cultural associations connected to left and right. It guides you to investigate history, science and biology, and a host of other things, further.

This book would be especially interesting for a left-handed child to read, and could help them understand that it’s ok to be different.

There is a helpful glossary at the end of the book to explain some words your child may not be familiar with. I like that the book wasn’t written too simply, as this not only extends the readership to older children, but it also allows children to learn new words and concepts.

I don’t recall ever seeing a picture book dedicated to learning the differences between left and right, so this book fills a gap in the market. I’d recommend Left and Right to primary schools as well as parents.