A Bedtime Kiss for Chester Raccoon

by Audrey Penn, Barbara Leonard Gibson (Illustrator)

Overview

The sun is up, it's time for little Chester Raccoon to go to bed, but he is frightened by the shadows the sun is creating on the walls. Mrs. Raccoon soothes him with a Kissing Hand, and he is able to go to sleep.
This sweet and decidedly unscary board book is both a light-hearted way to calm children's fears at bedtime, along with a gentle introduction to Chester Raccoon and the Kissing Hand for the younger child. Funny illustrations will gentle the scary-looking shadows in a bedroom.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781933718521
Publisher:	Tanglewood Publishing, Inc.
Publication date:	07/26/2011
Pages:	14
Sales rank:	238,988
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

Editorial Reviews

In a twist on the fear-of-the-dark story, Chester Raccoon, in his first original board book, goes to bed when the sun comes up. "There's nothing to fear in the afternoon," assures his mother. But the sunlight and shadows remind him of "six foot spiders in baggy pants," a bug-eyed crocodile, and a bear. A hug and kiss from his mother finally helps him to sleep, dreaming about catching fireflies. It's a tricky thing to make broad daylight seem spooky, but readers may still see their own bedtime fears in Chester's overactive imagination. Ages 1–4. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

From the author of The Kissing Hand comes a lesson about facing fears when heading for bed. The interesting switch is that raccoons are nocturnal so they sleep during the day. We meet Chester Raccoon who, when the sun comes up, is getting ready for bed. But Chester is frightened by a ray of sun that shines through the entrance to his home (a hole in a tree). He imagines fierce crocodiles slithering near and spiders dancing on the ceiling. In the next spread he spies a giant shadow of what can only be a hungry bear. The sun continues it course and Chester is just too scared to sleep. Finally his mother comes in and reassures him that the sun is not to be feared. She kisses his hand and wishes him sweet dreams. With those words and the comforting kiss, Chester is finally able to go to sleep. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

PreS—As Chester Raccoon nestles into his lair, he begins to imagine frightening creatures in the light that streams across his bedroom. At first, it takes on the form of a crocodile and later a pair of spiders. Like many children who see monsters in the shadows of their bedrooms, Chester becomes increasingly agitated as he tries to sleep. Soon, his mother comes to assure him that there is nothing to fear. Just as she reassured him in The Kissing Hand (Child Welfare League of America, 1993), she kisses Chester's palm to soothe his worries. The ink and watercolor illustrations are realistic and reassuringly expressive. Chester's nonthreatening bedtime imaginings are silly enough that young readers' own slumbers will not be interrupted. Designed for younger children, this board book features rounded corners, rhyming couplets, and a simpler text than the earlier books in the series. It should find an audience in most public libraries.—Laura Butler, Mount Laurel Library, NJ

School Library Journal