Customer Reviews

Hands as Warm as Toast

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hands as Warm as Toast is a heartwarming story that any kindergarten teacher, parent, or student can make a connection to. According to Ms. Himle this is a true, yet slightly embellished story about an event that happened when she was a Kindergarten teacher. The teacher is Ms. Himle's book is Miss Darling. Everyone knows a kindergarten teacher that seems to have a magic touch with young children. Miss Darling is one of those kindergarten teachers with that magic way of making children want to be at school. In fact, when Libby, the little girl in the story, does not want to leave the side of her mother to attend the first day of school Miss Darling appears with cold hands and a job for Libby. Miss Darling's magic touch and way with Libby make school a place Libby wants to be a part of. This is a great story for back to school. It would make a good gift for a favorite kindergarten teacher that touched your child's life. The illustrations beautifully match the text. The story held the attention of my very own kindergarten student. I enjoyed reading this book to my son and he found many parts in the story that reminded him of his first day of school. There are many opportunities to make a text to self connection. Lisa Himle has written a wonderful story that I am sure will touch the hearts of many students, teachers, and parents.

Although it was decades ago, I still remember my first day of kindergarten. I entered the school, with my mother, excited and oh so, scared. After reading this book, I wish I'd had had Miss Darling for my kindergarten teacher.

It's Libby's first day of kindergarten and she's scared. Her mother does what she can to reassure her, but it's not working. Libby would like nothing better than to run right out of the school. But before she can run, her teacher, Miss Darling greets Libby and asks if she would warm her cold hands because Libby's hands are warm as toast. Each day Libby warms Miss Darling's hands for her. But as the school year progresses, she notices that her teacher's hands don't take as much time to warm up anymore.

When Libby starts first grade, she meets a kindergarten student who needs the same reassurance Libby did when she started school. And Libby is just the girl to help the young child. She offers her hand to another little girl who has hands as warm as toast.

Starting school can be a daunting task for young children and they can all use a warm hand to help them along. Every child who begins school should have Hands as Warm as Toast to read and a teacher as loving, caring and understanding as Miss Darling. It would make school a safer and friendlier place.

Armchair Interviews says: Hands as Warm as Toast will warm your heart and help your child's school experience.

Written by Lisa Himle featuring illustrations by Bruce Langton, Hands As Warm As Toast is a 32-page picturebook about the anxieties that accompany a child's first day at school -- and how comforting it is to be able to find "a warm hand to hold" when children go to school for the very first time. Young readers, especially those having to deal with their own first day at school, will particularly appreciate and enjoy the story of Libby and her mother as the young girl prepares for school. Additionally, an outstanding (and free) activity guide is available for download to parents and teachers at the Mitten Press website.

For children, confronting the uncertainty of new situations can be daunting and scary. In Hands as Warm as Toast, Lisa Himle tells a story that will help normalize the anxiety of starting school and provide comfort, guidance and support to children and parents who struggle with this often challenging task. As a clinician who specializes in working with children with anxiety disorders, I highly recommend this book to any parent whose child is apprehensive about starting school or anxious about any new situation.

We fortunate to have Ms. Himle read her book to children and families and the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. We received wonderful feedback about the tremendous benefits of this story.

As a clinician who works with children with separation anxiety, I highly recommend Lisa Himle's delightful story about a little girl learning to overcome her fear of starting kindergarten.