The Kissing Hand by Audrey Pennn

Book Genre: Fiction

Publisher Information: Child & Family Press, 1993 (26 pages)

Award: E D Press Winner

Summary: Chester the Raccoon, does not want to go to his first night at school. He would prefer to stay home with his mother, read his books, play with his friends, play with his toys and swing on his swing. Really, Chester is afraid to leave his home and go to a strange and scary new place. Mrs. Raccoon, his mother tries to tell him, he will love school. He will make new friends, play with new toys, swing on new swings, and read new books. Best of all she has a secret to tell him that will help him get over his fear, the kissing hand. She proceeds to spread his palm open and place a soft kiss in it. Chester feels the warmth of her kiss spread all the way up to his furry mask. Now when he is afraid, he just puts his hand against his face and remembers that his mother loves him.

Book Level: 2.7
Interest Level: ages 4-8

Personal Rating: (**** Great) I love this book, not only because I used it with my child and it worked beautifully, but because it is the kind of book that parents will treasure and children will not only benefit from it but enjoy reading it. The illustrations are colorful, fun, and heart warming. This would be a great book to use as a read aloud for little ones going off to kindergarten, staying with a babysitter for the first time, or going to daycare. Any time there is separation anxiety, this book will definitely help. There are stickers with hearts on them for children to wear in the palm of their hands to help them remember their mother loves them and not to be afraid.

Possible uses of text in integrated units of study:

Science: There are illustrations full of nocturnal animals. The class will study the many kinds of nocturnal animals and their habitat. The students will also study the forest eco-system.

Language Arts: Spying and spelling all the animals in the illustrations would be a good way to have the students create sentences about their favorite animals.

Reading: This book would be a good motivator for a book list about different nocturnal animals. Also, this book would be much too hard to read for the littlest ones going off to school for the first time. This is one of those perfect read aloud books for at home, the library, or first day of kindergarten or school. The stickers are also a great visual for the children to keep.

Art: The children will trace their hands on paper and draw hearts on their palms. The children will pick one nocturnal animal, draw and color a picture of their animal, which will be placed in a book for the class to view. If small paper plates are used, they could make a mobile of the animals and hang it in their classroom.

Writing: Writing Prompt: When I get scared, I feel better when...

Math: Word problems: Mrs. Opossum has 10 babies on her back, if 4 fall off, how many are left. Drawing the babies and using Velcro to attach or remove them would be a good hands on math activity.

Possible problems or difficulties: Children who do not have or have lost a parent may have a hard time with the feelings that may result from using only a mother figure. It would be good to use Fathers, relatives, and caregivers in the discussion of this story, as well. I see no other problems with this book.