Chester the Brave

Little Chester Raccoon, the beloved character who has helped so many children with issues in their lives, learns the meaning of bravery and a method for overcoming his fears.

After sharing the story of a little bird who is afraid to have flying lessons in front of his friends, Mrs. Raccoon tells Chester that being brave doesn’t mean being unafraid; being brave means not letting that fear stop him. Mrs. Raccoon teaches Chester an important strategy: Think-Tell-Do. When he thinks he is afraid, he tells himself he can do it, and then he just does it. Of course, getting a Kissing Hand helps a little too. This simple strategy can be helpful to children in many different situations.

Picture Book | Ages 3 – 7
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-933718-79-8 | 32 pages | $16.99
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-933718-85-9 | $10.99
Lexile Level: 610 | Guided Reading Level: L | Grade Level: 2 | Reading Recovery Level: 19

Meet Author Audrey Penn

Audrey Penn started her career as a ballerina dancing with the National Ballet, New York City Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, and the Danny Diamond Dance Theatre. In 1980, she became too ill with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) to continue dancing but, because she had participated in children’s theatre, children’s dance, and always enjoyed children’s literature, she turned to writing children’s books for her creative outlet.

Her passion for advocacy for children continually molds her writing style and subject matter. She has created her writing program – The Writing Penn – into schools, libraries, and children’s hospitals, where she shapes and refines her story ideas in partnership with kids.

Today, Audrey has written over 13 books and is a New York Times bestselling author.

Meet Illustrator Barbara Gibson

An award-winning illustrator, Barbara Leonard Gibson was a freelance artist in the Baltimore-Washington area for twenty-five years. Originally from New York, and with a degree in Fine Art and Design from Carnegie Mellon University, she worked in many areas including historical illustration, children’s books, and magazines, cartooning, portraiture, wildlife illustration, natural sciences, advertising, fantasy, and science fiction.

All Books in The Kissing Hand Series

Book cover for The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
Book cover for A Kiss Goodbye by Audrey Penn
Book cover for Chester Racoon and the Acorn Full of Memories by Audrey Penn
Cover of A Color Game for Chester Raccoon

Chester the Brave Reviews

“This beautifully illustrated story is great for kids who are trying to overcome their fear—whether it’s speaking in front of the class, like Chester, or any other activity! Parents, I highly encourage you to read this book with your kids. It’s also a good one for teachers to read with their classes during a public speaking unit!”

US Kids