The Wondrous Toy Workshop: Hanni's Inspiring Life and Her Toys That Anyone Can Make.

THE WONDROUS TOY WORKSHOP: Hanni's Inspiring Life and Her Toys That Anyone Can Make. Nancy B. Miller. Minneapolis, MN: Syren Publishing, 2008. 67pp. $15.95. Welcome to a hope-filled world of limitless possibilities! Hanni Sager enters the hopeless world of Mexican street children and disabled children and bravely brings light, color, playfulness, independence, and confidence to those who have been hidden and forsaken, forgotten and dismissed. It is, we learn in Nancy Miller's amazing book, Sager's calling in life.

Once called the "Toy Lady" because of her dedication to playful exhibits of toys within the beautiful museums of Toronto, Hanni Sager--who is, the book shows, eloquent, tough, and always creative--decided to emigrate from Canada to Mexico. There, she sought out the segment of society hardest hit: homeless children and the disabled. Hanni believes that these children truly need the therapeutic experience of creating art. Her workshops on making toys native to the area are for children who have been hardened by the daily grind of a difficult life. These workshops show children the power of art as well as the power of self-worth and becoming independent through their artistic endeavors.

Miller's writing captures the passion of Hanni and her kids, which is further highlighted by the glossy pictures of the children joyfully participating in the toy workshop, as well as examples of the toys, which are both practical and inspirational. No doubt, the children learned about life, but Miller also points out the literacy, cultural, historical, and mathematics connections learned throughout the process.

Sager's tale is inspirational on several fronts; in addition to her work with children, she has had to contend with having muscular dystrophy. Yet, she has not let disability take control of her life. I kept thinking that many people in her position would have remained in their home country and surrounded themselves with loved ones. Yet, Hanni Sager picked herself up, moved to Mexico, and re-created herself in an independent role by helping those abandoned by families and society, enticing children to participate in her outdoor toy workshops.

This delightful book is divided into three parts. First, Miller provides the narrative behind the toy workshop by telling the account of Hanni Sager's fascinating life. The second section, titled The Toy Workshop, provides the principles and goals behind the toy workshops as well as the nuts and bolts to make a toy workshop a similar success in anyone's community. Sager's recommendations regarding family and community involvement, funding, staffing, guiding principles of the toy workshop, as well as the pricing, selling, accounting, and all things practical are included. The third and last portion is titled Instructions and Patterns. Here, actual patterns for making these indigenous toys are published so that readers can embark on the joyful journey to their own toy workshops.

If you want to believe that one person can change the world, read The Wondrous Toy Workshop to have that belief affirmed. Readers, like the disadvantaged toy workshop participants, can see the world through new, positive eyes: the eyes of Hanni Sager. Reviewed by Sherron Killingsworth Roberts, Associate Professor of Language Arts and Literacy, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.