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  • Hello. Welcome to Storyline.

  • I'm Barbara Bain.

  • and we are brought to you by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation

  • I am going to read a story to you.

  • And the story is called The Kissing Hand

  • by Audrey Penn

  • and the illustrations are by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak

  • The Kissing Hand

  • 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 home with you.

  • I want to play with my friends. And play with my toys. And read my books. And swing on my swing.

  • Please may I stay home with you?”

  • Mrs. Raccoon took Chester by the hand and nuzzled him on the ear.

  • Sometimes we 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 school once you start.”

  • Youll make new friends. And play with new toys.”

  • and read new books. And swing on new swings.

  • Besides,” she added,

  • “I know a wonderful secret

  • that will make your nights at school seem as warm and cozy as your days at home.”

  • Chester wiped away his tears. He looked interested.

  • “A secret? What kind of secret?”

  • “A very old secret,” said Mrs. Raccoon.

  • “I learned it from my mother, and she learned it from hers.

  • It’s called the Kissing Hand.”

  • The Kissing Hand?” asked Chester. “What’s that?”

  • “I’ll show you.” Mrs. Raccoon took Chester’s left hand

  • and spread his tiny fingers into a fan.

  • Leaning forward, she kissed Chester right in the middle of his palm.

  • Chester felt his mother’s kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart.

  • Even his silky, black mask tingled with a special warmth.

  • Mrs. Raccoon smiled.

  • Now,” she told Chester, “Now whenever you feel lonely and need a little loving from home,

  • just press your hand to your cheek and think, ‘Mommy loves you.

  • Mommy loves you.’

  • And that very kiss will jump to your face and fill you with 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 you the kiss will stick.”

  • Chester loved his Kissing Hand.

  • Now he knew his mother’s love would go with him wherever he went.

  • Even to school.

  • And that night, Chester stood in front of his school and looked thoughtful.

  • Suddenly, he turned to his mother and grinned.

  • Give me your hand,” he told her.

  • Chester took his mother’s hand in his own

  • and unfolded her large, familiar fingers into a fan.

  • Next, he leaned forward and kissed the center of her hand.

  • Now you have a Kissing Hand, too,” he told her.

  • And with a gentleGood-byeand “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 with special words.

  • Chester loves you,” it sang. “Chester loves you.”

  • I LOVE YOU

  • The Kissing Hand . . .

Hello. Welcome to Storyline.

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