On May 19 student jurors chose Canadian author, Mélanie Watt’s Chester’s Back! as the picture book category winner of the 2009 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards.
As a tribute, Tales for Tots this week looks back at the first Chester book (published in 2007).
Chester is really a story within a story. Chester, an egomaniacal cat (go figure), attempts to take over Mélanie Watt’s tale of a mouse that lives in the country. (I guess he succeeds since the book is called Chester. ) The two battle for control as Chester scribbles his own ideas down in red marker. The mouse exclaims that he can’t work under such conditions and Watts brings out her ultimate weapon - you’ll have to read the book to find out what that is! :)
Chester is a clever book, full of humor, gentle sarcasm and an entertaining battle-of-the-wills. Both parents and cat-people will relate to the difficulties Watts faces throughout the story. :) Watt’s illustrations are priceless (I especially love the wet cat image!) and there’s lots of “little things” that can be seen outside of the main images.
I highly recommend Chester and I can’t wait to take a look at Chester’s Back!
Great book for students.
sometimes I too like reading them.