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The following books, both old and new, are some of my favorite mommy-and-me stories that I know you will enjoy sharing with your little Stinky Face:

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So, unless you've been living under a rock for the past 17 years, you've heard of (and probably read 100 times) The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn and illustrator Nancy M. Leak. A great, classic story about the love between a mother and child. Penn has released the fifth book featuring Chester Raccoon and his mother, focusing on an incredibly difficult topic for children, again infused with the love of Mrs. Raccoon, titled Chester Raccoon and the Acorn of Memorie

Centering around the death of a classmate and how a young child (or, I suppose, Raccoon in this story) deals with loss and the concept of remembering a friend we are presented the tough topic in a gentle and easy-to-understand manner. Questions that children will most likely have, such as "Why can't he play anymore" and "How do you make a memory" are answered subtly and with ease.

Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed at the length of the story, as most pages had several paragraphs (even if they were short paragraphs, they were still paragraphs), making it a bit long for a picture book. On a topic such as this one, lacking in excitement and focusing on the serious, a long story is going to allow time for children to lose focus.

I also have to be a little critical on the illustrations. Though some may absolutely love the pictures, I was disappointed, as the images appeared almost computer generated. Not that illustrations of that nature are a bad thing, but I've seen illustrator Barbara L. Gibson's work in A Pocket Full of Kisses, the sequel to The Kissing Hand, and it was right along the lines of the original story with a classic, beautiful feel. And this latest book's illustrations seems to be a bit generic and cartoonish (which is fine, I guess I'm just partial to the older books). I also haven't looked at the other middle books in the series, so they may be the same way.

That being said, the plot and the overall subject matter is most important and when dealing with the loss of a loved one, Chester Raccoon and the Acorn of Memories would be a great resource. When not comparing it to the other books in the series, it's a nice stand alone.

Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories
Audrey Penn
32 pages
Picture Book
Tanglewood Press
9781933718293
August 2009
Review copy received from publisher


To learn more or to purchase, click on the book cover above to link to Amazon. I am an Associate and will receive a tiny commission from your purchase.

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Death. It's a nearly universal theme for middle school and YA literature (see my No More Happy Endings discussion at the English Companion Ning), but not one of the more popular themes for picture books. But for those who teach units or novels dealing with loss, life cycles, generations, war, or even seasons, the topic of death is likely to emerge. More important to consider, however, is that your students will also lose people in their lives: siblings, parents, grandparents, friends, teachers. Picture books can provide a delicate and appropriate means of discussing the loss of loved ones.

Audrey Penn, the author of the New York Times #1 bestseller The Kissing Hand has written a simple yet thoughtful picture book on the topic of coping with death. In Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories, Chester anxiously tells his mother that his friend Skiddil Squirrel won't be returning to school because of an accident. But he has no understanding of what that word accident means, nor does he understand what the teacher meant when she said that Chester had died. Mother explains these things to Chester, and then suggests "making a memory" so that Skiddil won't be forgotten.

Although this book is meant for audiences younger than those I typically teach and write for, I recommend this book because it will help students to understand the positive purposes behind memorial services. Audrey Penn has skillfully structured the narrative to include a blueprint for any teacher or parent helping a child to deal with loss.

First, Mrs. Raccoon helps Chester to understand the nature of death as frankly and clearly as possible. She compares it to experiences he has already known, such as the passing of old Mr. Beaver.

Second, Chester finds comfort in the company of friends. I read over twenty picture books on the topic of death before writing this post, and several of them portray children trying to sort through their feelings about lost loved ones with no direction from adults or friends. I would hate for children to think theyre alone in a time of crisis. In Annette Bley's And What Comes After a Thousand, for example, young Lisa is upset that mourners at Otto's service are so quiet and morose; that's not what her old friend would want. Fortunately, she is able to confide in her friend Olga, who he

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