Book of the Day: The Kissing Hand

The Kissing Hand
Audrey Penn
Illustrations:  Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak
Tanglewood Press (1993)

Found on my friend's Pinterest board (she said it made her cry every time she reads it), I decided to check it out from the library.  I wonder how I did  not know about this book during my School Counseling years.  I actually am  wondering why I didn't think of it--such a simple and clever idea that I can see really working.    There have been many a child (and parent) with separation anxiety over the years that would have benefited from this book.  

It's a tale about a little raccoon named Chester who wants to hang out with his mommy rather than go to school.   The mommy kisses his hand and explains that it goes straight to his heart and he can always think about the kissing hand when he feels sad or lonely.  Chester decides to give a kissing hand to his mom, so that she can also feel the love when they are apart.  

I recently went away for the weekend and although Mirette does not really have a big issue with separation, I tried this.   It was so great and it made me feel much better about leaving and it was a way to celebrate and acknowledge our love.

Audrey Penn wrote a companion book called A Pocket Full of Kisses.  This book is about Chester's indignation that his little brother also gets a kissing hand.  The mom has to explain that there is enough love to go around that his brother's kissing hand doesn't negate his kissing hand.  

Geez, just once could I read a bio. of one of these writers and not get totally immersed.   It seems like most of them have fascinating lives or do something else that is really interesting and Audrey Penn is no exception.  She was a ballet dancer and a choreographer for the Olympic figure skating team, but she had to stop after becoming seriously ill with arthritis (her blog indicates that she still suffers from these ailments).   She has many other books that look great and focus on helping children get through something.  A relatively new one is called Chester and the Big Bad Bully.

Another interesting thing about her is that she workshops her books at schools in the DC area.  So the kids actually help her with the re-writing process and give her ideas.   Her mom compiled a book of her journal writings called Happy Apple Told Me that was quite successful.   She developed the Kissing Hand idea when her daughter was afraid to go to kindergarten. 

Not to much on the illustrators but here's what I know:
Ruth Harper:  http://www.rutheharper.com/index.php?p=1_4
Nancy M. Leak:  A Maryland artist specializing in printmaking

Teacher's Idea for the first day of Kindergarten:  http://www.kinderthemes.com/thekissinghand.html

All kinds of kissing hand activities:  http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/KissingHandPrintablesandIdeas.htm

And more:   http://littlegiraffes.com/teaching-ideas/95/the-kissing-hand-activities/