Chester

Title: Chester

Author (and Illustrator): Mélanie Watt

Publisher: Kids Can

Copyright Date: 2007

Print Date: September 2007

ISBN: 9781554531400

Pages: 32

Series: Followed by Chester's Back! and Chester's Masterpiece




Book Description (from dust jacket):

Hi. I'm Mélanie Watt and I'm trying to write and illustrate a story about a mouse. But Chester just won't stop interfering!

Thank Goodness! NOW it's a great book about me!

See what I mean? Chester keeps doodling on and rewriting my story with his annoying red marker. How am I supposed to deal with this cat upstaging me at every turn? I need to think of a way to put an end to this before he completely takes over!

Good Luck, Einstein!!

As you can tell, Chester, A.K.A. the rude and self-centered furball, always has to have the last word!

NOT TRUE!

You see?

See what?

What did I tell you!

Whatever!

Comments:

This book is hilarious from front to back. I liked the cover, and it looked cute when I flipped through it, so I checked it out (from the library) and left it at my sister's place for the nephew and niece to look at. The next time I vistited my sister asked if I had read "that book" I brought. I thought... Uh, oh. Was there something bad? Something she deemed inappropriate for her kids?

Then she brought it over and started showing me. Chester is funny; his interaction with Mélanie (and the mouse) is funny... Chester interupts everything from the cover and book description on the inner flap, to the author's note, dedication, and title page, plus the entire story, and even the author's picture and author bio on the back flap of the dust jacket. I can't begin to tell you how amusing it is...everytime I look at it. And the pictures are great.

Here's an example (pictures taken from kidscanpress.com)...

...and there's a lot more.

It's supposed to be for ages 4-8. I don't know how my nephew (2yo) or niece (1yo) reacted (they were in bed when I actually looked at it). But I loved it, and so did my sister.

This is the same author that wrote the acclaimed Scaredy Squirrel books. I haven't read those (or the other Chester books) yet, but I've heard nothing but good things about them. I'd guess that makes Mélanie Watt an author/illustrator to look out for.