Book Talk

Ingrim

Sarah Ingrim

Children’s Lit

Catherine Zoerb

February 2, 2016

Title: The Kissing Hand

Author:  Audrey Penn

Illustrators:  Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak

ISBN#: 0-590-04701-9

Cover:  I would show them the cover and ask what they thought the racoons were doing, how they might be involved in the story, and what they think the book might be about.  I would tell them the title of the book, who the author is (Audrey Penn) and who illustrated the pictures (Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak).  

Summary:

The Kissing Hand is about a little raccoon, Chester, that does not want to leave his mother and go to school.  His mother tells him of all the new things he will get to do at school, and of a secret that will help him feel better.  The secret is that she kisses the palm of his hand so that whenever he feels lonely he can press it to his cheek and remember that she loves him.  Chester likes the idea so much that he does the same thing to his mother’s hand so that she can remember he loves her while he is at school.  With his mother’s kiss safe in the palm of his hand, Chester happily goes off to school.

Pages to stop and ask questions:

• Page #1  How did you feel on your first day of school?  Were you scared/sad like Chester?
• Page #3/4  What do you think the word nuzzled means? We can use the picture on page 4 to help us figure it out.
• Page #6  Mrs. Raccoon says she knows a secret that will help Chester.  What do you think her secret might be?
• Page #9  Mrs. Raccoon “spread open his tiny fingers into a fan.”  Can you show me what this would look like with your hand?
• Page #11 Would Mommy Raccoon’s kiss really jump from Chester’s hand to his face? (no, but the memory will be there)
• Page #15  How do you think Chester felt when he realized that his mother’s love would be with him no matter where he went?
• Page #17  Why does Chester want to see his mother’s hand?
• Page #20  Chester “unfolded her large, familiar fingers.”  What do you think the word familiar means?  Can you think of anything/anyone that you are familiar with?
• Page #23 “Mrs. Raccoon watched Chester scamper across a tree limb.”  What does it mean to scamper?  Could you scamper across a tree limb?

Extension questions:

What made Chester feel that going to school wouldn’t be so scary?  Why do you think Chester kissed his mom’s hand?  Do you have anything you hold/think of to help make you feel better when you’re upset?

Vocabulary:

scamper:  run with quick light steps

nuzzled:  to push against with nose and mouth

familiar:  well known from long association