ChristiH

The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn, is about a little raccoon named Chester, who is apprehensive about his first day of school.  His mother tells him a story her mother told her, about the kissing hand.  She kisses his hand and tells him that any time he feels scared or misses her, he just has to press his hand to his cheek and think, "Mommy loves you", and the kiss will jump to his face and make him feel better.  On the way to school, Chester does the same for his Mom, in case she misses him while he's gone.  Thanks to the kissing hand, Chester goes to school happily and his Mom is reminded of how much they love each other.

The Kissing Hand is a perfect book for early elementary students, who may still not be so sure about leaving their parents and coming to school. It's a wonderful story for any child confronting a difficult situation.  This would be a great book to read to students when one of them is having a hard time at school or is missing their Mom.  Students could illustrate the story afterwards and share the story with their caregivers when they go home.