The Kissing Hand: Audrey Penn & Ruth E. Harper & Nancy M. Leak

Having read the sequel, I was compelled to go back and read the first book in the Chester series, The Kissing Hand. This is the book that started it all...

Chester the raccoon is nervous. He has never been to school and he's scared. He would much rather stay home with his mother. Chester's kind, compassionate, and understanding mother gently encourages him, telling Chester that he will love school once he gets started. She gives Chester something very special to take with him so that he never forgets how much he's loved. Chester's mother gives him a kiss right in the middle of his palm, and tells him that when he puts it to his cheek, he will be able to hear her whisper "Mommy loves you." Chester is so happy to have his mother's reassurance that he is able to dance off to school.

Penn's storybooks about Chester are so sweet! Chester is such a sweet little raccoon with such human emotions that we can all relate to. Everyone has had to face something new that they may have been nervous or scared about, and children are no exception. Chester is an example of the kind of love and support that every child needs, but unfortunately, not every child receives. Something as simply magical as a kiss on the palm can instill confidence and encourage a child to face their day, knowing they are loved.

I have to say, having read the sequel, A Pocketful of Kisses first, I am sorry to report that the illustrations in The Kissing Hand are nice, but not quite as wonderful. Chester and his mother make for very tender drawings, but the forest didn't seem as vibrant as it is in Pocketful.

Rating: $$.5


ARC received courtesy of Tanglewood

A Pocket Full of Kisses: Audrey Penn & Barbara Leonard Gibson

This is only one in a series of books about a raccoon named Chester that I will read and review. A Pocketful of Kisses is the sequel to The Kissing Hand, which I haven't had the pleasure of reading, however, I see no reason why this tale can't stand on its own.

Chester is a very very good little raccoon whose family has just expanded to include a baby brother. Chester asks his mother if they can send him back, but his mother says it's simply not possible to send a baby back. To reassure him, Chester's mother gives him a special kiss on the palm of his hand that lights up his heart. Chester is filled with his mother's love, until he watches mother give the same kind of kiss to his baby brother, Ronny. What a racket Chester makes! In his saddest voice, he asks if his mother doesn't love him anymore. Mother quickly seizes her opportunity to teach both of her children about how much love a mother has. She tells the story of the sun, that touches every star with it's rays, lighting up each and every star, even when we can't see them. Chester's mom let's him know that she has enough love for him and his brother, but she also acknowledges that maybe he deserves a little something extra for being the big brother. So Chester receives a special kiss that he can put in his pocket, to carry with him.

I absolutely loved this storybook! It is so true that mothers have a special kind of love that seems bottomless. A mother can give her love to all of her children and never run out. And dear Chester is a familiar character to anyone with siblings--or anyone who has ever felt jealousy! We so often want to feel that the love we receive is special and more meaningful. I am sure that children learning how to be a big brother or sister would benefit from hearing this story.

As for the illustrations, I am in love. Gibson has such a talented hand, and has brought this little raccoon family alive. Except she doesn't just draw the raccoons, she also illustrates the wilderness they live in, with other animals, trees, and plants. The picture of the night sky over the valley, with the geese flying across the sunset is absolutely breathtaking. I would own this book as adult, if only for the illustrations!

Rating: $$$

ARC received courtesy of Tanglewood