A Kiss Goodbye
For families who use comfort rituals, this book uses the "kissing hand" to help a raccoon transition to a new home and school. It's a gentle way to apply an existing routine to moving.
A Kiss Goodbye by Audrey Penn is estimated to take about 12 minutes to read aloud (1,116 words, about 3 sentences a page), and it lands best with children aged 4-6.
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- Estimated read-aloud time
- about 12 minutesEstimated read-aloud time
- Word count
- 1,116Counted words
- Sentences per page
- 3Sentences per page
- Re-read tolerance
- 3/5holds up
- Vocabulary level
- 3/5a few new words
- Best for
- Ages 4-6Our editorial fit
Our review
The story focuses on the ritual of a kiss as a way to carry comfort from an old home to a new one. It’s designed to ease the anxiety of new environments.
It works best if the child is already familiar with the concept of "The Kissing Hand."
Before you buy it
This ten-minute book is the longest of this group and is most effective if your child is already familiar with The Kissing Hand.
Themes
- moving
- rituals
- raccoons
- new school
Books like A Kiss Goodbye
Matched by refrain, density, length, and listener—not just the subject.
Questions parents ask
How long does it take to read A Kiss Goodbye aloud?
About 12 minutes at an unhurried pace, including a standard allowance for page turns, pictures and participation, from a word count of 1,116. Stopping for a longer conversation on every page will add more time.
What age is A Kiss Goodbye actually for?
Ages 4-6 in our testing, which is narrower than the publisher's range. With 3 sentences a page and vocabulary at 3 out of 5, it asks for that much attention span and no more.
Does A Kiss Goodbye survive being read on repeat?
Yes, reasonably. It stays bearable through the repeat-request phase without becoming a favourite forever.
Can a beginning reader read A Kiss Goodbye on their own?
Not yet. At vocabulary level 3 out of 5 and 3 sentences a page, it is a read-aloud book rather than a first solo read. Read it to them now, and hand it over in a year or two.
Is A Kiss Goodbye part of a series?
Yes, it belongs to the The Kissing Hand series. It stands on its own, so you can start here without reading the others in order, then move to the rest if it lands.
What themes does A Kiss Goodbye cover?
We tag it with moving, rituals, raccoons and new school. Those are the threads that actually run through the book, not just the ones on the cover, which is how it earns its place on our themed lists rather than a keyword match.
