When my children were young (10, 9, 7, 5 ish), they started having to deal with a visitation schedule. The every-other-weekend was something we got used to fairly quickly, but the long stretches during the summer were hard on all of us.
When I found this book, it was a blessing and The Kissing Hand quickly became a favorite story in our family.
Chester, a young raccoon, is anxious about leaving mom and home to go to school. His mom tries to convince him that school will be great - new books, new toys, new friends, but Chester remains unconvinced. Mother finally teaches him the secret of the kissing hand.
She opens his fingers and kisses the pad of his paw. Chester feels his mother's kiss "rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart." She tells him that when he needs to feel her love, he can press his hand to his cheek and feel her love. She closes his hand to keep the kiss safe and sends him on his way.
Audrey Penn has written 9 other books about Chester, and nine other stories for children. Illustrator Ruth E. Harper did a beautiful job creating warm, realistic, and welcoming illustrations that children will enjoy.
Do you know a child who is struggling with separation anxiety? Try this book. It may be a bit sugary for some, but I think most children will respond to the message.
Every once in a while, I still do the kissing hand with my adult children.
Get this story for your home library through Amazon, and while you're there, look for the other books in the series: Chester Raccoon and the Almost Perfect Sleepover, A Pocket Full of Kisses, A Kiss Good-Bye, Chester the Brave, Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories, Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully, A Bedtime Kiss for Chester Raccoon, A Kissing Hand for Chester Raccoon, and A Color Game for Chester Raccoon.
- Storyline Online read aloud of The Kissing Hand.
- YouTube read aloud
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