As I read Aggie's Purple Hands, memories of my childhood summers in the south came to mind. I remember mama and my aunts and uncles canning peaches, watermelon preserves and blackberries for jellies, jams, and preserves. My grandpa had beehives and there were always pints and quarts of fresh honey put on shelves for the winter months. Mama would always let us children pick blackberries and our hands would be purple for days. I remember our shirts would also be stained! And the blackberry cobbler! The delicious smells drifting through the open windows was the best part. We learned early what 'fruit jars' were used for, and the variety of sizes in pints, quarts, etc. We always got to sample everything. If it passed our taste test, then the fruit jellies or preserves were ready for the jars. The winter months would come and mama would make biscuits for breakfast. Oh, the joy of hot biscuits oozing with melted butter and homemade watermelon preserves or blackberry jelly or fresh honey was enough to not only make our mouths water but feel our stomachs until the evening meal.

 

Aggie's Purple Hands is a delightful book for young readers. It is about Aggie helping pick the grapes and squeezing the grapes in the cheesecloth - something children today probably have no idea what a cheesecloth is or what squeezing the grapes means. If you were born in the south chances are you learned early in life about the fruit canning process.

 

Children will enjoy Aggie's Purple Hands and the delicious smell of grape jelly, and purple hands! This is a perfect book for classrooms. They'll learn about pints and quarts along with Aggie. If you're a teacher, I recommend this book with warm toast oozing with melted butter, a jar of grape jelly, different size canning jars and measuring cups, different size spoons and a classroom of hungry kids! What a delicious lesson to be taught and learned and loved by children.

 

I rate this book a high 5.

Marcella Meeks Author, Blog writer

 

Loved this book. Brings back memories of times when life was simple and families spent quality time together.

Amazon Customer

 

Beautifully written children's book about a special tradition shared between a little girl and her Grandparents. Illustrations are excellent. I highly recommend this book as a must have for a special stocking stuffer for Christmas from Grandparents to little girls. The book has inspired me as a Grandparent to share traditions with my own grandchildren.

Amazon Customer

 

Aggie’s Purple Hands is a story about a young girl who helps her Momma and Granny to make grape jelly. However, her hands turn purple from the stain of the grape juice. Aggie got scared, but her Grandfather comforted her by covering her hands with her Granny’s white gloves until the stains went away.

The story will teach the children about creativity, kindness, love, and patience.
It such a sweet story of the bond between Aggie and her grandfather. I highly recommend this book.

Congratulations, Rhonda-Kay!

Roselle, Amazon Customer

 

This book is so cute! I didn’t get the first book, but I got the second edition . When I found out this story was true, it brought me back to the times I spent with my grandmother in the kitchen baking. A must read ! I bought this book to give to my niece.

Heather, Amazon Customer

 

"Aggie's Purple Hands" is a heartwarming story about a little girl that accidentally stains her hands purple while learning how to make scuppernong grape jelly. The story is filled with family closeness as Rhonda Gatlin describes the rich southern tradition of making jelly through the eyes of a child. Also, there are opportunities woven into the story for little readers to learn to measure—a delightful tale, both educational and entertaining.

Jenn, Amazon Customer

 

A charming and cute story about a little girl called Aggie who has a lovely family and has a very special bond with her grandparents. We follow Aggie and her brother during this special time shared with the whole family. While learning the art of making scuppernong jelly, Aggie will learn a few other valuable lessons.

Madly, Amazon Customer