All Kinds of Kisses

by Heather Swain, Steven Henry (Illustrations)

A grasshopper mouth opens east-west but not south. They're like scissors for chopping up leaves.
"Don't try to hide from a kiss on its side," says grandpa grasshopper to nymphs.
How would a grasshopper kiss?

Whichever it is, this much is true. When we say goodnight, I love all kinds of kisses from you!

We humans smooch with our lips. But how do giraffes, whales, hummingbirds, tree frogs, and other creatures kiss? It's fun to wonder about and to see in the pages of this charming book, which includes facts about each animal at the end.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Storytime, Science, Nature, Humor

32 pages, Hardcover

Published December 26, 2016

About the author

Heather Swain lives in a crooked house in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, two children, and a barkless dog. She is the author of novels for adults and young adults, craft books, and numerous short stories, personal essays, and non-fiction articles.

Reviews

[Alex Baugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's nothing like a cuddle and a kiss from mom and dad, but how do other animals, birds, and even fish kiss their young? Eleven creatures are depicted on two page spreads, each with a different way kissing and showing affection to their young. There is a brief description of the each creatures mouth and why is it the way it is: "Red crossbill birds has twisted beaks to tweeze tines seeds out of cones" and ends with the question "How would a crossbill kiss?" This is the same pattern throughout the book. This is a nice introduction to these eleven different creatures, but, although each kind of kiss is described in rhythmic stanzas, they are a little uneven. Still, it is a fun board book, though maybe a little wordy for the youngest kids. And the boldly colored illustrations are a real compliment to the text.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An animal fact book disguised as an affection book. Not sure how I feel about animal facts tossed in like this ... including.... that most animals don't show affection through kissing or anything near it?

[Micheala · Rating 4 out of 5]

This playful story imagines how animals “kiss” in nature, with simple facts at the end. You learn about giraffes, whales, and insects. My son enjoyed it and asked me to reread it a few times. It moves quickly and works well for bedtime cuddles. It's cute for animal-loving kids.

[Dylan Teut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be sure to look for the hidden hearts on each spread.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adorable illustrations.
Too much text.
Each animal spread asks: How would a _____ kiss? Well, how would we know?? Sometimes, there's a clue, sometimes not.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Kinds of Kisses is a children's picture book written by Heather Swain and illustrated by Steven Henry. It is a book of about animals kissing or rather how they would kiss as proposed by the author.

Swain's text is rather straightforward – it's a two-page spread of one animal of twelve, describes how and why their mouths are formed and how they care for their young and then Swain proposes how this particular animal would kiss. Henry's illustrations are wonderful! He drew each of the dozen animals rather well – I also loved the fact that he incorporated hearts in each of his two-page spread.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It explores how animals would kiss with their strange mouths – a dozen in total. The animals depicted in the story are: humpback whales, sun bears, crossbills, piranhas, anteaters, grasshoppers, giraffes, green tree frogs, pink porpoises, hummingbirds, creek chubsucker fish, and duck-bill platypuses. I also like the fun facts about these dozen animals at the end of the book.

All in all, All Kinds of Kisses is a wonderful children's book about the many different types of kisses that animals give each other – a fun fact books about animals listed by how they would kiss.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cute picture book invites readers to imagine how different kinds of animal caregivers might kiss their young. For example, sun bears might nuzzle their cubs’ tummies, which grasshoppers (who have sideways mouths) would kiss from the side. The narration is cleverly crafted, filled with a lively rhyme scheme and playful alliteration that just begs to be read aloud. I like the diversity of the animals included, many of which (sun bears, crossbill birds, chubsucker fish) are almost never seen in picture books. I also enjoy that the story doesn’t just mention parents, but grandparents, aunts, and uncles too! It’s a great reminder that families are more than just mommies and daddies; they’re a whole group of relatives united by love for each other. Steven Henry’s illustrations are full of bright colors and soft edges. The animals’ affection for each other is evident in their loving gazes. What might be my favorite part of the book is how smoothly it integrates animal facts into the text. This sweet story offers plenty of opportunities for interaction between caregivers and kids, and might work well for a bedtime read or a family storytime.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swain, Heather All Kinds of Kisses. Illustrated by Steven Henry. PICTURE BOOK. MacMillan, 2016. $16.99.

This great picture book explores all kinds of kisses that parents and kids can enjoy. Should they “nibble like fishes, or peck like birds, or give grasshopper kisses from the side? Whichever it is, this much is true: when we say good night, I love all kinds of kisses from you!”

This book takes on a new approach to the traditional “butterfly kisses” and in a fun way gives children the chance to guess how an anteater or humpback whale or giraffe might kiss their little ones good night. The back of the book contains fun facts about each of the animals listed. We enjoyed this tender, fun book.

Pre-K. EL (K-3). ADVISABLE. Reviewer: SL.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018/...

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rhyming text that tries too hard to rhyme. The illustrations are fabulous, but the text is just ridiculous. For example, "The piranha's maw has a fine jutting jaw for nibbling on fish fins and fruit. 'I'm coming in for a peck on the chin,' says papa piranha. 'You're cute!' How would a piranha kiss?" Then a couple spreads later: "The sweet little tree frog has no lips for a snog, but her tongue shoots out like a spring. 'Stand back,' says her mother, 'cause one way or another, I'm getting a smooch with this thing.' How would a tree frog kiss?" Ugh, just ugh. No, I will not be using this one for story time at the library. One star for the story, the second one is for the illustrations.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This board book imagines how animals kiss to show their affection, highlighting some unusual animals including a sun bear, crossbill birds, a tree frog, even a hummingbird and a platypus, among others. Amid all the smooching, the author cleverly provides information about each animal's mouth or tongue. The final page suggests that humans have many different was to kiss goodnight, drawing from the animal examples provided in the book. This is a good title to share at bedtime right before that reassuring smooch is delivered. I think I'd choose one in which we "nibble like fishes" (unpaged) or maybe vary my kisses each night. The book features bright, simple illustrations with child appeal.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The board book edition of the 2016 picture book featuring a simple description of the shape of various animal’s mouths that then asks the reader to wonder how that animal would give a kiss. The featured animal families are sweetly illustrated in bright colors. The text is a little small for a board book, but toddlers will probably flip the page forward before parents have time to read it all anyway. An optional purchase for larger board book collections.

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love how interactive the writing for this book, and think it could fly brilliantly with some children (who have veeeeeeery long attention spans). That said, it is certainly not written for the board book crowd. Kiddos 0-3 years of age would not-- never, ever, unless super sick or asleep-- sit still for a book with this many words. Could maybe be retooled as a cute picture book.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great theme of love and connecting, and even though its not intended to be nonfiction per say there is some great information here about how different animals use their mouths and there are som animal tidbits in the back.

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Hope Cowdrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t like that this book encourages coerced/forced affection, in several of the pages the adult animals (parents, uncles/aunt, grandparents) demand kisses or hugs from the baby animals. Not a fan.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for pajama storytime.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that talks about how animals kiss. I would have actually liked to see how different animals kiss their young but I love the tone of the book and the nonfiction facts built into it. Preschool and up for length.

[Casandria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book that was also surprisingly informative about animals.
Animals
Valentine's Day

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little ones will enjoy the idea of different kisses from 12 different animals, including a humpback whale, s grasshopper, and a duck-billed platypus. Young readers learn interesting facts about how the various animals eat as well as the names of their offspring as they peruse the book. What adds to the fun is the author's consideration of which sort of kiss among all those possibilities to share tonight. The handsome illustrations were created digitally from pencil drawings that were scanned and painted with Corel Painter 2015. This picture book is cleverly created and calls for a second look, partly because of those images but also because the text uses inviting language for the animals' actions when eating or kissing. While I don't know that I'd want to experience all these kisses, some of them seem pretty appealing and might add some spice to my life.

[Rebecca Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book essentially already exists All Kinds of Kisses. However, if you're looking for a version for older kids, this one has interesting animals and more details. The illustrations are adorable!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute one about kisses.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pictures are so gorgeous

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and well-matched choice of font; easy and natural integration of animal biology into a fun picture book, and a helpful author's note at the back with more information on each animal readers 'meet' throughout the story.