A Life Made by Hand: Ruth Asawa

The way this book connects wire sculptures to everyday life is genuinely moving, and the illustrations capture the lightness Asawa created with her hands. My six-year-old asked to read it twice in one night, which is the highest praise I can give.

My daughter now points out wire fences and asks how they were made, which is exactly the curiosity this book sparks. The illustrations of Asawa bending simple wire into those airy sculptures are gorgeous, and we've read it at bedtime four nights straight.

The illustrations capture Asawa's wire sculptures so delicately that you can almost feel the airiness of the forms on the page. My only wish is that it included a few more photos of her actual work, since the story made me want to see the real pieces.