Chester

By Ayano Imai

Chester loves his family and wants nothing more than to spend time with them. But work and school are keeping the family extremely busy and Chester is taking a backseat. When the family forgets to take him for his walk, again, Chester decides he's had enough- It's time to find a new home. But when Chester is turned away by a flock of forest birds and taken in by a wealthy woman who treats him more like a toy than a dog, Chester soon discovers that old homes are not so easily replaced. Ayano Imai presents a quirky tale for anyone who ever thought the grass was greener on the other side.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0698400623
• ISBN13: 9780698400627
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Minedition
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.5" x 0.3" x 9.6"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

An easy read about appreciating what you have

Chester the dog isn't getting the attention he used to from his owners, a family of four. They are now too busy with the hustle and bustle of their own lives and Chester feels unappreciated and ignored. So he picks up his small doghouse and leaves, followed by a little bird. What ensues are Chester's attempts to find a new home, none of which are as good as the one he left. And it's not like his family doesn't notice he's gone or doesn't care. A thoughtful story about how we all need to show our appreciation for each other and enhance each other's lives.

chester is a keeper

I've just read this book to my son and we loved. The story is simple with a good message. The illustrations are adorable and I love her style so much. The whole book left me with a happy, sweet feeling. I will be adding this to my son's personal library.

Chester is fun & unusual

Reviewed by Genna Chatel (age 8) for Reader Views (8/08) "Chester" is about a little puppy that runs away because his family is always busy and forgets about him. He goes to all sorts of different homes. Only one person takes him in, a rich lady. Her grooms take care of him, but he runs away. I like Chester because he's fun. The drawings are unusual. I think the drawings are drawn with pencil crayon. I think this is a good way to draw because there are many pencil crayons in a lot of colors. Also because of the little points on the pencils there are many details in the drawing such as a tiny arrow sticking out of the window in the city drawing. My favorite page is where the grass has price tags because it's very funny! I would recommend this book to someone who likes to draw. The message in this story is that you shouldn't ignore people in your family and the people you love and care for. I think this message is one that we should remember every day, and Chester reminds me of it. I wouldn't change anything in this story because "Chester" by Ayano Imai is such a good book. I liked the ending a lot. It made me feel like I was part of the happy ending.