BooksforTopics Reading for Pleasure Recommendations
Book Title: The Kiss (Available here)
Author: Linda Sunderland
Illustrator: Jessica Courtney-Tickle
Publisher: Little Tiger Press
Publication Date: January 2019
Reviewed By: Jo Littlewood (@miss_lw_reads), Year 1 Teacher
What happens when you keep a kiss to yourself instead of sharing the love with others?
After a visit with his grandmother, Edwyn blows her a kiss as they say goodbye. On the way home, Grandma passes many groups of people and shares her kiss with them, brightening up their days. She cheers an old man, a shouty lady and a little girl. But then a man comes to the door and offers to buy the kiss. When Grandma won’t sell it, he steals it, then locks it away. Will the kiss make him as happy as it has made others? And what will Grandma do with a hug she receives from Edwyn?
With its foiled cover, this book would quickly grab the attention of any young reader. Opening the pages, we find beautiful illustrations each brightened by the presence of the kiss Edwyn shared with Grandma. The colours used reflect the emotions on the page, changing as the kiss is locked away to reflect how important it is to share love and kindness with others. With joy reflected through dance, balloons and bright colours, and sadness through rain, sharp letters and dull illustrations, children will easily see how showing love to others can brighten a day.
This book could be used to link to PSHE when talking about showing kindness to others, or in art lessons to encourage children to really think about the colours they use to express emotions. Children could also write the next part of the story, thinking about what might happen with Grandma’s hug, or how else Edwyn could show Grandma he loves her.
Curriculum links: PHSE, art
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You can order The Kiss online or from your local bookshop or library.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending us a review copy of this book and to Jo for reviewing it.
