Chester's Way [Hardcover]

Kevin Henkes (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 1988 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

There was only one way for Chester to do things - his own way. Wilson did things the same way; they were best friends. From double-knotting their shoes to cutting their sandwiches diagonally, Chester and Wilson were two of a kind.

"They really are two peas in a pod," said Chester's mother.

"Looks like it," said Chester's father.

From morning to night - and in every way - they were inseparable. But then they met Lilly ... and extraordinary things happened to their friendship.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Chester's ways are fairly circumscribed: this young mouse has definite likes and dislikes, and there is no changing his mind. His friend Wilson is just like him; they're quite a pair. Then Lilly moves into the neighborhood. She speaks backwards ("YLLIL MA I"), travels only in disguise and carries a water pistol wherever she goes, "just in case." She intimidates Chester and Wilson, until she terrorizes some bullies who are picking on the two friends. Suddenly, Lilly's ways don't look so bad, and the threesome becomes just as like-minded and inseparable as Chester and Wilson's former twosome. Henkes's vision of friendship captures the essence of the childlike; his mice live in a sunny, imaginative world mixed with secure routines and the safety of known factors. The story unwinds at a deliberate pace; every sentence is either downright funny or dense with playful, deadpan humor. The artist/author, as always, gently grants room for differences between people (the turnaround in A Weekend with Wendell , for example, and the reconciliation between Wedge and his stepfather in Two Under Par ). Behind each book is a wide-open heart, one readers can't help but respond to, that makes all of Henkes's booksand especially this oneof special value to children. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2 Chester is a child of rigid habits. From the way he ties his shoes to what he has for breakfast, he knows exactly how things ought to be done and tolerates no deviations. His friend, Wilson, shares his attitudes and his set routines, and the two are completely satisfied with the way they have arranged their lives. Although Chester's father is mildly disparaging of their obsessive actions, nothing happens to disturb them until Lilly moves into the neighborhood. Lilly is a whirlwind of wacky behavior. While Chester and Wilson cut their sandwiches into neat diagonals, Lilly uses a cookie cutter to make stars and flowers out of hers. Gradually, the two little stuffed shirts and free-swinging Lilly learn to accept each other and reshape all their prejudices to fit a trio, but an amusing surprise is waiting for them, and for the readers, on the last page. Henkes' charming cartoons are drawn with pen-and-ink, washed over with cheerful watercolors. They give witty expressions to his characters. The children's eyes, for instance, are drawn only with dots and tiny lines, but are nevertheless laden with meaning. Children will make Chester's Way their own. Ruth Semrau, Lovejoy School, McKinney, Tex.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books; 1st edition (August 15, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688076076
• ISBN-13: 978-0688076078
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,387 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kevin Henkes is the creator of many distinguished books for children, including Kitten's First Full Moon (winner of the Caldecott Medal), Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, and Chrysanthemum. His novels for young people include Olive's Ocean (a Newbery Honor Book) and Bird Lake Moon.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kevin Henkes is humorous and clever, even for adults, April 15, 2001

By 

Shaz "oi-you!" (Naples, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Chester's Way (Paperback)

I purchased this book because my maiden name is Chester- honestly, it's the only reason I got it! What a delight to find that the story is amusing and worth every penny. Chester is a mouse who does things his own way- he always eats the same thing for breakfast, he always uses hand signals when he rides his bike, and he never leaves the house without double-knotting his shoelaces. Chester's best friend's name is Wilson (my mother's maiden name- another delightful surprise!), and he and Chester are inseperable. When Wilson accidentally swallows a watermelon seed and cries because he's afraid he'll grow a watermelon in his belly, Chester swallows one too, so Wilson won't be alone in his predicament. This pair are like two peas in a pod...and then Lilly moves into the neighborhood. Lilly has HER own way of doing things, and Chester and Wilson avoid her like the plague. That is, until she scares of some neighborhood bullies trying to pick on Wilson and Chester. From then on, the three of them go everywhere together, and Chester and Wilson find that Lilly has many of the same interests that they do. An amusing and chuckle-out-loud story for all. Be sure to get "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse", too.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chester's Way is Wonderful, July 21, 2000

By 

Jeffrey B. Henriques "jbhstats" (Madison, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chester's Way (Paperback)

Kevin Henkes is an absolute treasure. His stories are a treat for both children and adults combining rhythmic prose and engaging artwork. "Chester's Way" is a delightful book about friendship. Wilson and Chester are the best of friends, and that's the way it was...until Lilly came along. Lilly does things differently than Chester and Wilson. However, they eventually become friends and learn from one another. My son and his best friend liked the story so much that they dressed as Chester and Wilson for Halloween one year.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on friendship of similar and different people, April 8, 1998

By 

M. BAXI "concerned citizen" (Troy,MI,USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chester's Way (Library Binding)

Chester's Way is an excellent introduction to how we choose friends and sometimes having friends with personalities which are different can be an asset. I highly reccommend this book and also 'Personality Plus' by Florence Littauer (for adults).