The Kissing Hand
by Audrey Penn
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 341)
Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
grades pre-1
Summary: This is a story about a little raccoon ready to start school. He talks about his fears to his mother and tells her how he is nervous does not want to go to school, because he is afraid he will miss his mother to much. His mother comes up with a wonderful solution to help her little raccoon remember that she loves him and is thinking about him, even when she isn't with him.
Response: This would be a great story to read on the first day of school for primary grades. The activity I found...more
Response: This would be a great story to read on the first day of school for primary grades. The activity I found...more
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A favorite book in our house! It's our tradition to read this book the night before the first day of school. I started when my oldest son was enter pre-K and he just started 2nd grade. I read it the other night to them and they are still just as touched by the tenderness of the momma raccoon as she sends her little raccoon off to school with a kiss on the palm of his hand telling him if he misses her to put his hand to his cheek and remember, "Mommy loves me, mommy loves me." The b...more
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Read in November, 2007
Written and illustrated by Audrey Penn. Published by Tanglewood Press, copyright 2006.
Grade level: Kindergarten and up
When Chester the Racoon doesn't want to go to school for the first time, his mother assures him that he will be ok, and even gives him a "secret." Before he leaves, his mother kisses him on his palm and lets him know that whenever he is lonely, he can put his hand up to his cheek and get a kiss from his mother. He then returns this kiss to his mother so th...more
Grade level: Kindergarten and up
When Chester the Racoon doesn't want to go to school for the first time, his mother assures him that he will be ok, and even gives him a "secret." Before he leaves, his mother kisses him on his palm and lets him know that whenever he is lonely, he can put his hand up to his cheek and get a kiss from his mother. He then returns this kiss to his mother so th...more
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Read in January, 2002
recommends it for:
All Children
My son's Godparents gave him this book as a present, and we love it. I've read it to my children over and over again.
I have read this to my son and my daughter the night before they started Kindergarten. On the first day of school, right before they got on the school bus I’d kiss their hand and closed it. My son’s reaction was to hold his hand tightly to his chest with a twinkle in his eyes. My daughter, who just started Kindergarten this year, came up to me and kissed my hand. I was...more
I have read this to my son and my daughter the night before they started Kindergarten. On the first day of school, right before they got on the school bus I’d kiss their hand and closed it. My son’s reaction was to hold his hand tightly to his chest with a twinkle in his eyes. My daughter, who just started Kindergarten this year, came up to me and kissed my hand. I was...more
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Mawkish and saccharine. The animal illustrations are gorgeous and extremely realistic--which clashes totally with the idea of the story. I'd rather see anthropomorphized animals in dresses any day of the week--at least I could see THEM going to school!
This is another of the books that adults rave about but don't have much kid appeal. Give them something better. Try "Take A Kiss To School" by McAllister if you insist on animals with kisses in their pocket. Better still, try "El...more
This is another of the books that adults rave about but don't have much kid appeal. Give them something better. Try "Take A Kiss To School" by McAllister if you insist on animals with kisses in their pocket. Better still, try "El...more
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Read in October, 2008
I read this to Gavin today. We just purchased it from a book order and I'd never read it before. Gavin said he thought it was a cute book and for some reason it made him cry every time he read it.
Well now I get what he was saying. I adore this story. It's about a little racoon who doesn't want to go to school because he'll miss his mom, so his mom teaches him a little trick to make it easier to be away from her. And mom needs a little comfort, also.By the end, I was crying.It's now one of my...more
Well now I get what he was saying. I adore this story. It's about a little racoon who doesn't want to go to school because he'll miss his mom, so his mom teaches him a little trick to make it easier to be away from her. And mom needs a little comfort, also.By the end, I was crying.It's now one of my...more
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
Grades K-1
I love this book! I think it is absolutely adorable! It is about a young raccoon that is getting ready to start school and is feeling some separation anxiety. His mother comes up with a way to help him feel near to her all day even though he is away at school. It is so sweet and it makes me tear up almost every time I read it. Little kids would love this book because it is so cute and they could identify with it. It would be a great book to read on the first day of school to help the little ones...more
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I love this book, it is a great first day/ first week of school book to read to your class. Good for Pre-K - 2nd. It deals with going to school and the separation anxiety felt by the child leaving mama. After you've read the book, you can have the children trace their hand and place a sticker of lips or a heart for them to present to their moms or guradians when they get picked up from school. Great book about feelings.
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It's not a bad book, it's just not that interesting to me. And while the kissing hand concept is definitely useful for any child worrying about leaving their parents for the day, I thought it was presented in an excessively sentimental way. I always find too much sentimentality just encourages children to dwell on how upset they are, rather than comforting them.
But if it works for your kid, great.
But if it works for your kid, great.
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A great book to tackle the issue of separation anxiety and going to school. Collin's preschool teacher also read this to the class and they traced their hands on paper and put a heart sticker in the center of the hand for the project. We own this book because it is a definite must have!
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Read in September, 2008
I cannot think of a book I have loved to read with my son more than this. This was a perfect gift from our preschool. Now we give each other "kissing hands" as part of our goodbye ritual... at bedtime, before school, before going potty... you name it! I'm a sucker for a kissing hand!!!
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I read this book every year on the first day of school. Not only is it a great way to show the new children in my class that even when their parents aren't with them, they are still loving them, but it's a fabulous way to get the parents out of the classroom with ease!
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Read in May, 2008
A sweet story about a little racoon on his first day of school, and how his mom's love goes with him. My daughter didn't relate much to this story because she's never been the least bit concerned about running off into any new social situation, but it's well told.
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
k-2 read aloud
This is an adorable book about a mother and baby raccoon who is afraid of going off to school. This book is touching for students and parents who are facing this same issue. I think it would be fun to do the kissing hand for each student in class.
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THis book is a must - especially when you have a little person getting ready for a new adventure that they are a little nervous about. We have used this concept a lot with our youngest who used to get kind of clingy. It is really sweet.
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This book saved us when our son went through separation anxiety in the second half of kindergarten. We did kissing hand every day, and he could always feel us still with him when he missed us and was lonely.
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Read in September, 2007
My son's Kindergarten teacher actually read this aloud to the kids and parents a few weeks ago when we were there getting to know eachother. I absolutely LOVED it, and so did both of my kids (ages 5 and 3.5)!
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When my firstborn went to his first day of school - his teacher sent a note home that they'd read this book in class. I went out and bought it and have loved it ever since! It has such a sweet message...
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Read in September, 2002
recommends it for:
anyone with a child just starting school
I read this to my oldest right after he started school and he liked it. One word to the wise...the mom will want to cry since you hold back the tears when sending a first born off to school anyway.
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
PreK-1st
So cute. I love the stroy of the little boy going to school. I would use this in the younger grades on the first day of school to help the parents deal with the seperation of them and their kids.
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