Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Henry, a Frankenstein’s monster kind of guy who’s always struggling to keep track of all of his parts, has a best friend in Hand, his aptly named right hand. Hand’s detachability means that he’s well suited to take care of minor tasks for Henry, but the appendage soon feels that he’s being taken advantage of and runs away to the city. When Hand prevents a wealthy socialite from being hit by a car, he’s hailed as a hero and thrust into a life of means. Henry’s left alone to struggle to get everything done without Hand’s help and writes a letter of apology; Hand, who chafes at his new luxurious existence, returns, and the pair are joyously reunited. Though a fresh and quirky tale about the bumps that occur even in the best of friendships, this unfortunately suffers from a lengthy text filled with unnecessary asides, as well as a story that never quite surmounts its contrivance. The goofy flair may still be compelling for some audiences, however, and MacDonald’s glowing illustrations in watercolor and pencil crayon evoke classic 1950s picture books with their softened lines, facial details and mildly yellowed tint; Henry’s a friendly-looking guy gruff guy in a green and navy striped shirt and white sneakers, while Hand’s a mint-colored version of the Addams Family’s Thing. This is a strange but amusing new take on an age-old plot, and it may beckon to kids who appreciate the offbeat.