A Book Review of The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

A Book Review of The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn Since it was first published in 1993, The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn has provided reassurance for children dealing with difficult transitions and situations. While the focus of the picture book is on fears about starting school, the reassurance and comfort the book provides can be applied to many different situations. Summary of The Kissing Hand The Kissing Hand is the story of Chester Raccoon, who is terrified to tears at the thought of starting kindergarten and being away from his home, his mother and his usual activities. His mother reassures him about all the good things he will find at school, including new friends, toys, and books. Best of all, she tells Chester that she has a wonderful secret that will make him feel at home at school. Its a secret, passed down to Chesters mother by her mother and to her mother by Chesters great-grandmother. The name of the secret is the Kissing Hand. Chester wants to know more, so his mother shows him the secret of the Kissing Hand. After kissing Chesters palm, his mother tells him, Whenever you feel lonely and need a little loving from home, just press your hand to your chest and think, Mommy loves you. Chester is reassured to know that his mothers love will be with him wherever he goes, even kindergarten. Chester is then inspired to give his mother a kissing hand by kissing her palm, which makes her very happy. He then happily goes off to school. The story is slightly stronger than the illustrations, which while colorful, are not as well executed as they could be. However, kids will find Chester to be appealing in both the story and the illustrations. At the end of the book, there is a page of small red heart-shaped stickers that have the words The Kissing Hand printed on each of them in white. This is a nice touch; teachers and counselors can give out the stickers after reading the story to a class or parents can use one whenever a child needs reassurance. According to her website, Audrey Penn was inspired to write The Kissing Hand as a result of something shed seen and something she did as a result. Shed seen a raccoon kiss the palm of her cub, and then the cub put the kiss on his face. When Penns daughter was scared about starting kindergarten, Penn reassured her with a kiss to the palm of her daughters hand. Her daughter was comforted, knowing the kiss would go with her wherever she went, including school. About the Author, Audrey Penn After her career as a ballerina came to an end when she became ill with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Audrey Penn found a new career as a writer. However, she began writing a journal when she was in the fourth grade and continued writing as she was growing up. Those early writings became the basis for her first book, Happy Apple Told Me, published in 1975. The Kissing Hand, her fourth book, was published in 1993 and has become her most well-known book. Audrey Penn received the Educational Press Association of Americas Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence in Educational Journalism for The Kissing Hand. Penn has written about 20 books for children. In all, Audrey Penn has written 6 picture books about Chester Raccoon and his mother, each focusing on a different situation that can be difficult for a child to deal with: A Pocket Full of Kisses (a new baby brother), A Kiss Goodbye (moving, going to a new school), Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully (dealing with a bully), Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories (the death of a friend) and Chester the Brave (overcoming fears), She also wrote A Bedtime Kiss for Chester Raccoon, a board book dealing with bedtime fears. As to why she writes about animals, Penn explains, Everyone can identify with an animal. I never have to worry about prejudice or hurting someones feelings if I use an animal instead of a person.   About the Illustrators, Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak Ruth E. Harper, who was born in England, has a background as an art teacher. In addition to illustrating The Kissing Hand along with Nancy M. Leak, Harper illustrated Penns picture book Sassafras. Harper uses a variety of media in her work, including pencil, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, and acrylic. Artist Nancy Leak, who lives in Maryland, is known for her printmaking. Barbara Leonard Gibson is the illustrator of all of Audrey Penns other picture books and board books about Chester Raccoon.   Review and Recommendation The Kissing Hand has provided a lot of comfort for scared children over the years. Many schools will read it to a new kindergarten class to ease their fears. In most cases, children are already familiar with the story and the idea of the kissing hand really resonates with young ones. The Kissing Hand was originally published in 1993 by the Child Welfare League of America. In the foreword to the book, Jean Kennedy Smith, founder of Very Special Arts, writes, The Kissing Hand is a story for any child who confronts a difficult situation, and for the child within each of us who sometimes needs reassurance. This book is perfect for children 3 to 8 years old who need comforting and reassurance. (Tanglewood Press, 2006.) More Recommended Picture Books If you are looking for bedtime stories for young children that are reassuring, Amy Hests Kiss Good Night, illustrated by Anita Jeram, is a good recommendation, as is Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, with illustrations by Clement Hurd. For young children worried about starting school, the following picture books will help ease their fears: First Grade Jitters by Robert Quackenbush, with illustrations by Yan Nascimbene, and Mary Ann Rodmans First Grade Stinks! illustrated by Beth Spiegel. Sources: Audrey Penns website, Tanglewood Press

Evolution in the English Language

Evolution in the English Language English is now indisputably an international language. It even has a new acronym: ELF, or English as a Lingua Franca. However, unlike French or Latin, the original LFs only of the European world, English is literally everywhere, and is the default language for many industries and fields of study and employment.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Evolution in the English Language specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Whether you are travelling, living abroad in an Anglophone country, or studying English in school, you will find that there is not just one variant of English. If you are not careful, you can run afoul of regional differences in word usage that can embarrass or inconvenience you, and may detract from the clarity of your writing. Because of the mix of ethnicities that makes up the USA, American English has evolved along different lines. Thus, a British speaker and an American speaker can find themselves talking at cross purposes unless they understand the idiomatic differences between the two regional forms of the language. The following are some examples from personal experience: Consider the classic error made by a British hotel guest when suggesting to an attractive young person that they sightsee together the following day. â€Å"Shall I come round and knock you up in the morning?† asks the Brit, and the American wonders why this ill-mannered lout wishes to get her with child. The phrase â€Å"to knock up† is US slang for getting someone pregnant. He could have said, â€Å"Shall I knock on your door in the morning?† and this international incident would have been averted entirely. And by the way, the phrase â€Å"young person† is another Briticism, albeit one that may be a bit vintage. Americans would speak of a â€Å"young lady† if they have any manners. Another classic mistake can occur in a â€Å"pub† (known to Yanks as a â€Å"bar†), when someone offers â€Å"cider†. In the USA, almost without exception, â€Å"cider† is unfiltered apple juice. It is served as an eco-friendly and often locally sourced alternative to less healthy â€Å"soft† (non-alcoholic) beverages such as Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper or other overpriced mixtures of sugar water, caramel coloring, and marketing. In Britain, on the other hand, the term â€Å"cider† refers to a fairly potent (and tasty) fermented version of apple juice that can set the unwary imbiber reeling. Cider was once fermented enthusiastically everywhere in the colonies, as was Perry, or pear cider, but Prohibition nearly wiped that industry out. It making a comeback as an alcoholic drink, along with locally made sausage, and boutique beers, but it will be reliably referred to as â€Å"hard cider†.Advertising Looking for article on languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As l ong as we are on the topic of embarrassing mistakes, consider the word â€Å"rubber†. In the USA, this refers to the substance derived from latex, but also to male contraceptives, or condoms, which protect the male reproductive organ, or â€Å"pecker† (USA). In the UK, the word â€Å"rubber† refers to an eraser, and the â€Å"pecker† is the chin, meaning that â€Å"keeping one’s pecker up† is a phrase to use with care. Another pitfall phrase is â€Å"on the job†. In the USA, this means literally while working – as in â€Å"managerial training on the job†. In British English, on the other hand, this can refer to that most intimate of consensual interpersonal activities, so avoid this phrase unless you are sure of your audience! â€Å"Fannies† in the USA are what a lady sits upon, but in Britain, the word refers to her most female of parts. This is another word to avoid! Now that we are all thoroughly embarrassed, c onsider the word that, in Britain, is used to refer to cigarettes, or at least used to be; â€Å"f*g†. In the USA, this pejorative and offensive term for a homosexual should really be avoided entirely. Another explosive word, ni**er, seems to be used in the UK to apply to all people with dark skin. In the USA, this is called the n-word, and refers usually to those whose African ancestors were enslaved. These words have such hurtful connotations that the best strategy is to just find different ways to describe others. Moving on to happier topics, and remembering the popular modern adage, â€Å"Life is short; eat dessert first†, take note that the traveler who asks for â€Å"pudding† in the UK will be served a sweet ending to a meal of almost any type. In the USA, however, â€Å"pudding† means a very specific sweet; a soft composition of milk and eggs (or the modern food chemist’s equivalent thereof), cooked to a consistency that sticks to the spoon. A baked mixture of milk, eggs, and sugar, with bread cubes, cooked rice, pasta, or tapioca, generates a nearly endless ethnic and regional variety of â€Å"puddings† (bread pudding, noodle kugel, etc.). They can all be yummy in the hands of a deft cook. Likewise, â€Å"biscuits† in the UK are a â€Å"cookie† in the USA. American â€Å"biscuits† are actually a quick bread, not made with yeast, but with baking powder and a great deal of shortening (butter, lard, or vegetable fat). They are not sweet, but serve as a magnificent transport mechanism for gravy, drippings, butter, honey, maple syrup, sorghum syrup, or fruit preserves. A specialized American use of biscuits is strawberry shortcake, which originally meant a biscuit (salty) topped with fresh berries (sweet and tart) and whipped cream (richly unctuous and perhaps sweet).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Evolution in the English Language specifically for you for only $16 .05 $11/page Learn More This is all fun, but there are additionally serious differences that anyone trying to live, work, or study internationally needs to remember. These divergences in practice are extensive and keeping a reference list at hand or bookmarked on the computer is a good idea. Here is a sampling: In American English, teams and corporations usually take singular forms of verbs (e.g., Apple Corporation has brought out a new model), whereas in the UK, they often take plural forms (e.g., Manchester United are the winners. This is an instant signal indicating where one’s English was learned. British English uses shall more often than will. In British English, the preposition from is used to indicate start times (e.g., Classes start from Monday), whereas in American English, the word â€Å"starting† or the preposition â€Å"on† is used instead (e.g., Classes start on Monday†, or â€Å"It will run six weeks, starting Monday† ). Americans enroll in courses, go to addresses on streets, and enroll in courses, while Brits use the other preposition. As English is used more and more widely and by peoples all over the world, there will be inevitable evolution in the language. What will â€Å"correct English† mean in 10, or 50 years? This subject is much too large for this article, but is the subject of serious academic consideration. In the meantime, try to use local variants but don’t let worry keep you from trying out your English in every possible situation.

Why are you interested in the degree programmes (graduate Essay

Why are you interested in the degree programmes (graduate programme-mechanical engineering) at Nanyang technological university - Essay Example Mentorship from my uncle is another reason for my course selection. He has great passion for his profession and tells me that the scope of aeronautical engineering is interesting and therefore motivational. This means that aeronautical engineers are able to derive utility from their job and this reduces chances of career mobility at later stages of life that can have its disadvantages such as difficulties in self-establishment and development in the new career. My subjects selection at the CBSE level of study and the level of competence that I have developed in mathematics and physics are other reasons for my choice of mechanical engineering because I am confident of the potential to succeed in the course that require physics and mathematics knowledge as a prerequisite. In addition, I have developed personal interest in aeronautical engineering and I do enjoy flights and spending time at airports, watching aeronautical engineers in the hanger. I also prefer Nanyang Technical Universi ty because it is an established institution with reputable facilities and academic staff. Interaction with my uncle, an aeronautical engineer, long-term passion in the scope of mechanical engineering, proper subject selection at the CBSE syllabus, and passion for aeronautical engineering are my motivation into the cause. I am confident that they will motivate my success in the

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKETS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKETS - Assignment Example These incentives provide new revenue opportunities for Acme in the United States. Countries in the EU that can provide these incentives are backed by the strong power of the euro currency and it also creates a linkage between other European countries that are already developed with a quality infrastructure for manufacturing and distribution. Being able to rely on these networks and existing business expertise makes JEL Industries a much better option than trying to work from the ground-up at DBC Industries outside of the EU. The strong euro has also provided developing countries in the European Union with knowledge of metallurgy, motor vehicles, glass production and heavy machinery production (Weidenbaum). Therefore, if Acme desires ample raw materials or the ability to select from a skilled labor pool of talented individuals, the EU is the most vital option for long-term growth and security for the business. Further, the value of the U.S. dollar is currently falling compared to the euro, therefore there are some cost advantages to selecting JEL Industries over DBC Industries. When consumers or industrial buyers make purchases of Acme products, they are using currency that will provide a higher profit. Why is this? The business can establish a higher pricing policy on its products to offset the costs of operations and/or distribution, and when the exchange between the EU and the U.S. dollar occurs, there will be more profit than if the products were sold domestically. Because the EU value is relatively stable, there is not the concern of sudden economic collapse that might occur with a more self-contained currency outside of the European Union. Thus, for profit purposes, JEL Industries is the recommended choice. Because more communications occur between EU partners, there will be less long-term costs associated with

Kant’s Approach to Ethics and the Issue of Suicide Essay Example for Free

Kant’s Approach to Ethics and the Issue of Suicide Essay The Renowned German philosopher, Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was one of the most influential philosophers of the modern age, whose thought, with its emphasis on the subject, turned the wheels of western philosophy to a new synthesis of idealism and realism in the form of transcendentalism. His ethical theory, developed in his reputed book The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, has to be taken along with the spirit of philosophy that enshrines his three Critiques whenever one attempts a critique on ethical issues like suicide as a gesture of self-love. Body of the Essay (Can suicide be ethical? ) Kant holds the theory of intrinsic morality based on the autonomy of human will. Good is good by itself, and the right is right by itself. It doesn’t depend upon the consequences or effects of the action for a human action to be right or wrong. According to Kantian deontological theory of ethics, committing suicide is wrong and unacceptable from any perspective since it is an action that goes against the categorical imperative he proposed as the norm for ethical decisions. His Categorical Imperative runs thus: â€Å"Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. † (Wolf Robert Paul (ed) Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals: text and critical essays. 1969. p. 44). Each individual subject should decide for himself and act in such a way that he wills that his maxim should be a universal law. (Wolf, p. 21). Let us now take up the issue of suicide. Suicide may be a personally-decided act, on selfish reasons, emotions or recommendations from physical situations (as in the case of euthanasia). In whatever respects it may be, it goes against the Categorical Imperative, and hence, it is inherently or intrinsically wrong to commit it. Kant argues that committing suicide out of self-love is contrary to the categorical imperative because there is a contradiction in a system of nature, whose law would be to destroy life by the feeling whose special office is to impel the improvement of life. (Wolf, p. 45). Rather he thinks that the destruction of life is incompatible with its improvement and that nature always chooses organs adapted to their purpose (p. 13), so that nature couldnt (or wouldnt? ) allow self-love to be used in a way contrary to its purpose which is improvement and nurture of life. In accordance with Kant’s intrinsic morality, the categorical imperative also supports a Practical Imperative, that one has to act so that one treats humanity, whether in his own person or in that of another, always as an end in itself and never as a means only. (Wolf, p. 54). One has to respect and support one’s life because of the dignity implied within. By dignity, he means, unconditional and incomparable worth (Wolf, p. 61). Kant supports this theory with his theory of incommensurability, which holds that moral virtue is infinitely better than anything else. From the perspective of human dignity as well, suicide seems to be an unbecoming action for humans. Conclusion For Kant, reason holds the supreme position (as elaborated in Critique of Pure Reason), and ethics as science, is not rooted in religion or metaphysics, but rather on the inherent worth of existence. Hence, suicide is an unacceptable mode of action even from the perspective of self-love. Love nourishes and does rarely destroy. And even when a bit of destruction is involved, it is only to nurture better that it destroys. Suicide is total destruction without nurture and thus contradicts the very nature of self-love. References Gregory, Mary (ed)(1998) Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant. New York: Cambridge University Press Henson, Richards (1979). What Kant Might Have Said: Moral Worth and the Over-determination of Dutiful Action†, in Phil. Review, January, 1979, pp. 39-54). Smith, Norman Kemp (trans. ) (1965) Critique of Pure Reason. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Wolf, Robert Paul (ed. ) (1969) Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals: text and critical essays. trans. , by Lewis White Beck. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill.

Stress Reduction - Music is the Best Medicine Essay -- Research Essays

Stress Reduction - Music is the Best Medicine Stress is something that I never really came across until college. In high school nothing really mattered to me, I was a very happy go lucky stress free child. I think I really took high school for granted though, I don’t think I took the time to sit down and think about my responsibilities and how they may affect my future. Instead I spent most of my time going out with friends after school and not coming home until late. My weekends were spent mostly drinking and sleeping. I guess I never had time for stress. I was always to busy having fun being a kid. As senior year came along I started dating my current girlfriend. She, unlike I, was very studious, had good grades, and was not much of a, â€Å"party on the weekend’s,† type of girl. I began to take plenty interest in her and we started hanging out a lot, almost to the point where I’d rarely ever see my friends. I began taking a lot more interest in my school work and even ran for student coun cil. As senior year went on I found my self getting much better grades than I had in the past, and I was starting to feel better about myself. I rarely drank on the weekends anymore and usually stayed in on school nights to do my homework. I also started to feel overwhelmed. It was a weird feeling like none other I felt before. This feeling was indeed stress. I started college in august of 2001. Ever since my first week here at IUP I’ve always felt stress; I can’t remember a time I haven’t. Living in the dorm was stressful enough not including classes, but it was also what gave me my chance to use my medicine, â€Å"music†. I found that every time I was stressed I could go to my computer and download a few songs, it was great. I pl... ...u can conclude that your hypothesis does in fact exist. College kids use music as an escape from reality because it makes them feel happy while in times of great physical and emotional stress. That’s definitely what I found out. I used the survey, interview and personal experience to help me prove this. Now, this is not to say that other things could not have been done. I could of used a experiment or a case study as well, which may have deemed different results. Of course my subjects were very limited being 10 but I also could have used larger amount of people. Maybe what I need to do now is research one of the facts I learned in order to narrow my thesis. The possibilities are endless; it’s all a matter of how interested I am in the subject to prove better, more accurate results, and also be able to see who else is prescribed to my musical stress medicine.

Argumentative Essay: A Change in Education System Essay

The Philippines educational system is undergoing a big change which follows the international educational system. The K-12 system is the system used by the United States and other countries. The K-12 system is started by the Aquino Administration. The government will add two year plus Kindergarten. Many people think that implementing the program in the Philippines will be insignificant and unnecessary but others think that it would improve the country’s educational system and the country as a whole. I agree with the K-12 system that will help students embrace a better quality education and will give them more job opportunities, especially abroad. There are many arguments regarding the K-12 implementation. I have chosen 3 arguments to talk about. First, parents are not financially stabled. Money would hinder the implementation of the system. The parents would pay two more years for the education of their children. Their children would learn more and gain more knowledge for those additional two year of education. The  money that the parents pay will be put into good use for their children’s future. But the parents would be spending a lot more than they expected for good quality education. The parents are not prepared to pay for two more years of education. The plan of the administration was earlier than expected. And some parents are not happy with this plan because of financial problems. Second, improve the quality education we have in our country. The Philippines need good quality education because we have a poor education system. The K-12 system will help the country to have a higher standard of education the government can add more to the curriculum. The advancement of having an improved quality education would lead to an earlier success in a student’s life. It may take him/ her long to finish high school but he/ she gained more knowledge than the student’s who prepared in 10 years. The student would take longer to finish his/ her basic education but will be more prepared. It is enough that the student is prepared when reaching the age of 18 after finishing the K-12. Their minds will be mature enough to think better than what is expected of them if graduated at the age of 16. Lastly, prepare the student for work after graduating. Not all students who graduated will automatically be sent to a university for college. Some students prepare themselves to look for a job for the sake of having money to study in college while some are forced to work for the sake of helping the family. The students who have accomplished the 12 year system will automatically be recognized professionals because we are following the international education standard. This will be good for our country. But, the student has not accomplished his/ her schooling. He/ she needs to be sent off to college because completing all levels of education would mean a better job in or out of the country. A student can earn more if he/ she finishes college and finds a good job. Based on the arguments stated, either good or bad, the K-12 system has a good point. I agree that the parents will spend more money for good education but their money won’t be put into waste. Their children will experience good quality education that will good for their future. Of course  parents want what’s best for their children in the quality of education because one day, their children will be the ones assisting them when they grow old. The old education system is done for 10 years and it can stress a student’s life if the system should have been 12 years. We all know that some people have financial problems that they go to work after high school. 12 years is longer than the 10 year system but the graduate students of the K-12 will automatically be recognized professionals because we are following the international education standard. The K-12 system will help students get a better job abroad because of the quality education that follows the international education standard.