The kissing hand by Audrey Penn
Chester raccoon stood at the edge of the forest and cried.
“I don’t want to go to school”, he told his mother, “I want to stay at home whit you, I want to play whit my friends, and play whit my toys , and read my books, and swing on my swing. Please, may I stay at home whit you?”.
Mrs. Raccoon took Chester by the hand and nuzzled him on the ear.
“sometimes we all have to do things we don’t want to do,” she told him gently, “even if they seem strange and scary at first. But you will love the school once you start.”
“you`ll make new friends, and play whit new toys.”
“read new books, and swing on new swings, besides.” She added, “I know a wonderful secret that will make your nights at school seems as warm and cozy as your days at home.”
Chester wiped away his tears and look interested, “a secret? What kind of secret?”
“A very old secret,” said mrs. Raccoon “I learned it from my mother, and she learned from hers. Its called The Kissing Hand.”
“The Kissing Hand?.” Asked Chester. “whats that?.”
“ill show you.” Mrs. Raccoon took Chester’s left hand and spread open his tiny fingers in to a fan. Learning forward she kissed Chester right in the middle of his palm.
Chester felt his mother kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart, even his silky, black mask tingled whit a special warmth.
Mrs. Raccoon smiled. “now” she told Chester, “whenever you feel lonely and need a little loving from home, just press your hand to your cheek and think,`momy loves you, mommy loves you’ and that very kiss will jump to you face and fill you whit toasty warm thoughts .”
She took Chester’s hand and carefully wrapped his fingers around the kiss. “now, do be careful not to lose it,” she teased him. “but don’t worry, when you open your hand and wash your food, I promise the kiss will stick.”
Chester loved his kissing hand. Now he know his mother’s love would go whit him wherever he went, even to school.
That night, Chester stood in front of his school and look thoughtful, suddenly, he turned to his mother and grinned.
“give me your hand” he told her.
Chester toke his mother’s hand in his own and unfolded his large, familiar fingers in to a fan, next, he leaned forward and kissed the center of her hand.
“now you have a kissing hand too” he told her, and whit a gentle “good bye” and “I love you” Chester turned and danced away.
Mrs. Raccoon watched Chester scamper across a tree limb and enter school. And as the hoot owl rang in the new school year, she pressed her left hand to her cheek and smiled.
The warmth of Chester’s kiss filled her heart whit special words.
“Chester loves you,” it sang “Chester loves you.”
I LOVE YOU