Book Review: The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

The Kissing Hand

by: Audrey Penn

The Kissing Hand

Written by Audrey Penn

Illustrated by Ruth E. Harper & Nancy M. Leak

32 pages

Picture book (Ages 3-8)

Audrey Penns Official Website

Ruth Harper's Website

About the Book:

School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester’s fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called The Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary.

Excerpt from USA Today Article:

"Penn wrote The Kissing Hand to help her daughter, then 5, who was having "extreme separation anxiety." It was inspired by a true story: At a park in Maryland, a small train stopped for a mother and baby raccoon dawdling on the tracks. "This mother raccoon kept pushing back the baby's hand and rubbing her nose in it. The baby would take his hand and put it to his cheek ... over and over," she says.

A park ranger later explained that the mother was "putting her scent on the little baby's hand, and he would put his hand up to his face in case they got separated." Penn started a similar ritual with her daughter — kissing her hand and telling her that whenever she was homesick, she could put her hand to her face."

Our Experience:

Throughout the years all of my children have been read or have read on their own this book. It is a book that has been a "staple" in our home. I get the pleasure of now reading it to my littlest one, like a handed down tradition.

This book, as most of you know, has been used in schools and for introducing new situations. I will admit that it is perfect for the "First Day of School Jitters", but I have shared it with my kids because it is a wonderful book all on its own.

The kids have always loved the pictures and they could not resist a baby racoon. All my kids were able to relate to how Chester was feeling, which in turn allowed them to see that it was normal.

The thing I love most about this book is the simple way that it teaches kids about feeling anxiety. The way it is written and the pictures allow all ages to be drawn into the story.

This book is such a sensation that you can easily do a search to come up with extra activities to do with your children while you read the book. This allows for more sharing and teaching about feelings. (I will post a few of those links to activities at the end of this post)

I have only read to my littlest a few times, but he does not fidgit during the story. I think even he is loving the pictures that go with the experience that Chester and his mother goes through.

I recommend this book for every household. It really is a classic and a perfect example of a "tradition" to hand down.