The Kissing Hand

The illustrations are detailed and lovely. My preschooler and I read this before she started school and we also now give each other a “kissing hand kiss” before school.

I read this to my children before they go to their dad's and I use it in my work as a therapist.

A must have book for any "parting" occasion.

The book is great, but many of the words were covered with stickers.

As a single mom I had to work 2 full time jobs to support my kids. This was a book I read to my kids before bed, sometimes before the start of our day. I would kiss their hand and told them I love them. They are now not so small 13 and 15 years old but I still kiss their hands and they know I am always there.

The book was good and my son enjoyed it. But, it had missing and torn pages.

Helps a child on the first day of school know that his mother loves him.

Poor little Chester, the racoon, it's time for him to go off to school and he doesn't want to leave his mother. Mother knows that Chester will love school once he gets there. There'll be new friends to meet, new toys to play with, new books to read and even a new swing to swing on. So she tells him a special secret about the "kissing hand". She takes his little hand, spreads the fingers and places a kiss right in the middle of his palm. Now when he feels lonely and needs a little love from home, he can press his hand against his cheek and know his mother's love will be with him. And, before he scampers off to school, he gives his mother the kissing hand too, so that she won't miss him too much, while he's away..... Audrey Penn has written a sweet, endearing story to help little ones face those scary feelings on their first days of separation. Her gentle text is complimented by expressive, detailed illustrations and together will let youngsters know that they're not alone out there in the world. The Kissing Hand is the perfect bedtime story, pre-schoolers will want to read again and again and makes a wonderful addition to all home libraries.

I just came back from a parent teachers meeting for the up-coming school year. The teacher pulled from her bag of show and tell "The Kissing Hand". I thought "Wow I did something right. We have this book!" I always knew it was a great book, (my daughter loves it) but the school sees it as a way to send your child off for the first time to school or daycare. In keeping with the theme of the book the kids all get stickers to put on their palms to press on their cheek for a kiss from their parents. It's a wonderful, loving book about sending your child off to school with an everlasting kiss from mommy (or Daddy). I highly recommend it. 5 Stars!

Chester Racoon and his mother prepare for Chester's first "night" at school. He is a little apprehensive, and, of course, he wants to stay home with his mom. Mrs. Racoon shares a secret with Chester called the Kissing Hand. She kisses Chester's palm and tells him to put it to his cheek when he begins to feel lonely at school. This book makes a great gift for a child entering school or going to camp for the first time, or for any occasion where a child will be temporarily separated from home and loved ones. It can also be used to help a child through the death of a parent or special loved one, and for children placed in foster families and residential facilities. For teachers, this book would be super to read the first day of school. It could also lead up to wonderful science, social studies, and reading/writing activities.

My kindergarten son brought this home from school. I think it's one of the sweetest books I have ever read. I read it to my teenagers and the senior in high school began to cry. I am sending it to my college daughter for her birthday, as it will be the first time in her life we are separated on her birthday. A must for every family who has a college-bound child as well as any time of separation.