The Kissing Hand (1995), though too sweet for many tastes, has developed such a following that many libraries cannot fill the demand each year before the start of school. This sequel is also quite sweet, but those who love the original may want to read the new story about Chester Raccoon. Now beyond his kindergarten separation anxiety, Chester has a new problem: dealing with his younger brother, who plays with his toys, pulls his tail, follows him around, and even shares his mother's gift of a Kissing Hand (Mom kisses Chester's palm, and Chester can transfer the kiss to his cheek whenever he needs comfort). Chester's mother reassures him that she will never run out of Kissing Hands. In fact, she has a spare for Chester to give his brother when he needs a big brother's care. Teeming with details, Gibson's paintings depict an idyllic woodland populated with friendly beasts, birds, and bugs that seem to pause and take an interest in the raccoons' conversations. The focus of the artwork, as well as the story, is clearly on the loving mother-and-child relationship. Recommended for libraries in which the earlier book has a following.

PreS-Gr 1-A sequel to Penn's The Kissing Hand (CWLA, 1993). A young raccoon pleads with his mother to "return" his baby brother due to typical sibling offenses. When Chester sees her give little Ronny a "Kissing Hand" (a kiss in the middle of his open palm), the waterworks begin. Of course, Mrs. Raccoon reassures her older son of his continuing importance to her, adding a bonus Kissing Hand for being a big brother. The animals' emotions are clearly expressed in the narrative. Gibson's crisp, realistic paintings are colorful and depict the scenery and activity of the meadow. Although this book is more appealing than the first work, standbys like Ann Herbert Scott's On Mother's Lap (Clarion, 1992) or Kady MacDonald Denton's Would They Love a Lion? (Larousse, 1998) are still better choices.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.