Chester's Way

Written by Kevin Henkes

Narrated by Laura Hamilton

Chester always eats the same things for breakfast, double-knots his shoes, and gets out of bed on the same side, and so does his best friend Wilson.

Then Lilly moves into the neighborhood.

Everything she does is different, and at first Chester and Wilson don’t like her. It isn’t until Lilly’s differences save them from bullies that they begin to realize that sometimes being different can be a good thing.

A ListenUp Audiobooks production.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Live Oak Media
• Release date: Jan 1, 2004
• ISBN: 9781430115212

Kevin Henkes

Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for Kitten’s First Full Moon; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; two Newbery Honors, one for Olive’s Ocean and one for The Year of Billy Miller; and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include The World and Everything in It; A House; A Parade of Elephants; Chrysanthemum; and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.

Reviews for Chester's Way

[bre201 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Chester and Wilson are best friends and they share the same way of doing things, until one day Lilly moves into the neighborhood. At first, they want nothing to do with Lilly until she helps them with a problem. Chester and Wilson realize that friendship means more than having everything in common.

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A little long, because the characters are so thoroughly described in both words and pictures. But it works, because it's Henkes, and he understands children and also writes beautifully.

[cwierz2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a great story for young readers. It is about a mouse, Chester, who does everything the same way. He always plays with his best friend, Wilson, they do everything together, until Lily moves in to town and she didn't do the same things as Chester and Wilson. After some time Chester and Lily realized they had a lot more in common than they believed. The illustrations in the story are small and sweet. The pictures are appropriate and relate to the story being told. The portrayal of the characters of the book make it more enjoyable for young readers because they are mice. The characters are well developed and you really understand them through the story. This story inspires children to not be scared to try new things and not be scared to make new friends or do new things.

[lbrink2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like this book for several reasons. One reason why I like this book is the characters. Chester and Wilson are good examples of how some young children are with their best friends. Many young children have a best friend that they do everything with and are not sure what to do when a new child comes around that is not like them. Having characters that young children can relate to make the stories more interesting for them. Another reason why I like this book is the plot. Wilson and Chester are best friends doing everything together and then Lily shows up and they are not sure they want to have her around. Once she helps them they realize that they should not have been so quick to judge her. This is something a lot of young children go through in school and they should be taught to give everyone a chance even if they seem different than you. The big idea of this book is to not judge people before you get to know them which is a lesson that both young children and older children should know.

[sott3-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion, this is a great book! The illustrations were so cute and bright and appealing to the readers eye. The graphics were really appropriate to the mood. For example, when Chester and Wilson first met Lilly, the crazy neighbor, she was dressed in a silly costume and throughout the story she begins to show them new things. The graphics change from 2 of everything being done the same way to now 3 of everything being done a little differently I also thought the characters were extremely believable. Lilly could be that sill girl in your class, Wilson your best friend. Children will find this story to be humorous and readers will take away a great message: we must all except each other, even for our quirks and differences.

[egiddi1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked the book because it pushed the readers and the characters. The book pushed readers to think about a tough situation. For example, when Lily moves into town, Wilson and Chester weren't very nice to her in the beginning. This would make the readers think about what they would do in this situations. The characters were relatable for the audience, despite being animals. Most readers have friends that they do everything with, just like Wilson and Chester. Also, a reader could be the new person in town and is having difficulty making friends, just like Lily. This story shows that change is okay.

[corzel1-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chester's Way is about two young mice, Chester and Wilson. These two friends are alike in many ways and do everything together. The two mice have specific routines that they follow, until Lilly moves into the neighborhood. She then shows Wilson and Chester that there a number of other ways to have fun. The two have difficulty with accepting Lily, with all her differences, so they avoid and ignore her every chance they got. One day Chester and Wilson were being bullied, and Lily came to their rescue despite how the boys treated her. In the end the three young mice all become friends. Overall I enjoyed this book, I found it to be well illustrated and written. This book to focused on the theme acceptance. Chester and Wilson struggled to accept Lily and how different she was and did things. I really appreciated this book because it shows that even though you may have to go out of your comfort zone, acceptance helps people to change, learn, and grow. It teaches the reader that everyone is different and has special qualities. If we embrace each other for those qualities instead of rejecting them it is easy to find the good in everyone.

[shelbyburton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story is another one of Henkes lovable stories. He uses a number of the same methods to entice his readers such as, elaborate illustrations and repetition. Each of his illustrations included dialogue which added to the language and helped to further develop each of the characters. He also used his repetition technique with Chester’s name, he did this to symbolize that Chester got “his” way all the time and that he did things “his” way. Then Henkes combined these two methods in order to show Chester’s friendship with Wilson and Lilly. Within each illustration, he repeated each mouse’s action within the others to show that they would be considered the closest of friends since they do things exactly the same way. The combination of Henkes’ methods created a story which I wish would never end, so I could read more about Chester’s adventures. Henkes also conveyed his main message clearly, that even though you may have one way of doing things, you should try out other people’s ways of thinking, just as Chester did with Wilson and Lilly.

[lbblackwell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chester and Wilson are best friends who do everything together until Lilly moves into the neighborhood.In this sweet tale of best friends, Kevin Henkes teaches children that being open to new people can bring about wonderful experiences.

[parejess · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The overall theme of this book is change, and that children should not be afraid but instead welcome it. Here we have Chester and Wilson, two young mice who have a daily routine and never waver from it, and then Lily moves in and everything goes out the window. Instead of accepting Lily's new and different ways of life, Chester and Wilson try to avoid her, which is not so nice. But when the boys are being bullied, it is Lily who comes to the rescue despite their lack of a prior friendship, and they all become friends.I really liked this book because it shows that while you may have to go a bit out of your comfort zone, accepting change helps people to learn, grow, and ultimately become better human beings--Chester and Wilson even got a new friend out of it. We think of change as something drastic, like moving states or your parents getting divorced, but this book shows that it can happen on more simplistic levels: a new neighbor moves who does things a little differently. This topic is one that children can really understand and I think will introduce them to problem-solving in everyday life.

[imandayeh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chester and his friend do everything the same way. Their world is shaken up when the eccentric Lilly moves into the neighborhood. This story is adorable reminding children that it is okay to have friends who do things differently. Loved seeing Lilly again in this book with her larger than life personality. The illustrations were perfect as always.

[dannien-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The main mouse characters in the story, Chester and Wilson, are just the best of friends and seem to be almost the exact the same. From the way they dress to what they are putting on their Christmas lists, Chester and Wilson do everything alike and do everything with each other, until one day, Lilly moves into town. Lilly, another mouse wants so badly to be friends with the "two peas in a pod." Chester and Wilson do everything they can to avoid Lilly, except one day Lilly saves them from being bullied and they are forced to try to befriend her for what she has done for them. All three of them end of finding that they have more in common than they thought and end up becoming three best friends. This story will teach students in younger grades to be considerate to everyone, no matter how different they think they are. This tale of friendship is fun for any age and can definitely be used in any class with bullying or friendship problems.

[scottid-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Chester likes to do things the same way all the time. So does his best friend Wilson. They do everything together! What happens when Lilly moves into the neighborhood?

[matthewbloome · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The title was really misleading for this one. It seemed to indicate that the focus would be on Chester when in fact it was all about the acceptance of Lilly, the new mouse in town, by the inseperable pair of Chester and Wilson. They do everything together and then when Lilly shows up and does things differently, it takes a moment of unexpected heroism by Lilly to save Chester and Wilson from the bigger boys tormenting them. It was all about learning to appreciate people's differences and the value that indvidualism can add to a friendship. Very nicely done, very well focused.

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kevin Henkes' "Mouse Tales" are always a pleasure, pairing adorable illustrations and pitch-perfect textual evocations of the experiences of early childhood. Owen, which was a Caldecott Honor Book, explores the issue of a young mouse's attachment to his security blanket, while the marvelous Chrysanthemum details the story of a young mouse who find herself the target of schoolroom ridicule, as a result of her unusual name. But despite my enjoyment of these and other titles, somehow I had never picked up Chester's Way before today. How glad I am that I finally did, as it is (not surprisingly) an absolute delight!Chester had his own way of doing things, from cutting his sandwiches diagonally, to double-knotting his shoes every morning - ways that his best friend Wilson shared. Chester and Wilson were an inseparable pair: swimming, biking and even snacking together. And then one day, a little mouse named Lily moved into the neighborhood, and she too had her own way of doing things. A way that often involved flamboyant disguises and water guns. Would Chester and Wilson ever accept Lily...? This being Kevin Henkes, there's never much doubt of the happy ending, but it is still immensely satisfying watching Chester, Wilson and Lily get there. Absolutely charming - I think I need to reread the rest of these!

[mmarcel2011 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Chester likes to do things his own way and in a routine. Chester’s friend, Wilson, is just like him. When Lilly moves to town she asks to be friends with Chester and Wilson and they say no. The three eventually become friends after Lilly defends them from being picked on. This books show that even though all children are different, they can all get along.

[sandya1983 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chester has his way of doing things and so does his best friend Wilson. Then along comes Lily and she flips their world upside down. This story is about acceptance and teaches kids that its ok to deviate from the routine. It teaches kids about accepting people for who they are and that it is good to be different. I found this book useful especially having a four year old son who is very similar to Chester and has a hard time dealing with change. I read to him and explained to him that we do not alway have to do things the same and that it can be fun to try new things sometimes. It's important to teach kids these lessons early on because that way they can better adapt in school as they encounter people who are different then them and they realize that no two people are alike and that's a good thing. Its a good and easy read and it teaches a good lesson.

[crfonten · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An easy book to read and a good book to read aloud to the class. It teaches a good story of acceptance and accepting people who are different than you.

[rebecca401 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Chester has his own way of doing things, and he and his friend Wilson are exactly alike. They do everything together. They definitely do not hang out with Lilly, who is different than them...until one day they really need Lilly's help, and they realize that there are some good things about being different. Soon the three of them do everything together. That is, until Victor moves into the neighborhood.

[cnolasco_40 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Chester's Way" is a well-written children's picture book that shows what it's like to meet others who many do things differently than you. It tells the story of Chester and Wilson, two best friends who like all the same things and do everything the same way. Then Lilly moves to the neighborhood and changes everything. Chester and Wilson avoid Lilly at first, but when they suddenly need help, Lilly is there for them. The book shows that we can get along with people who many seem different than us and we can be friends with people who have other interests. The story was very cute, while still teaching an important lesson - that it's okay to have differences. The illustrations were engaging and supported the storyline. Recommended for K-2 grade.Another book published during this decade: Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse, Illustrated by Jon J. Muth

[sharty_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chester is a conservative and cautious young mouse with his own way of doing things just like his best friend Wilson. Lily moves into town and rocks their worlds with her openness to change and risk. This is a lovely story about allowing change, appropriate risk-taking, and allowing new friends to make you a different person.

[kperk12 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a great book about friendship and the joy of adding in new friends that at first you may be unsure of. Chester and Wilson were so used to playing with only each other it was hard to let Lilly in, but when they did and found out she was a cool mouse they were glad they were open to the new change. All younger grades should read this book so they will be more open to letting new kids joing their groups; never know just how fun the person really could be.

[slblack2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Chester is unique. And so is his friend Wilson. They are best friends and do things the exact same way. It was always Chester and Wilson, Wilson and Chester. They were this way until Lily moved in the neighborhood. Lilly was different and did things in a different way. Chester and Wilson ignored Lily until they needed rescueing from bullies. They soon,all, became best friends. They taught each other everything they knew and soon it became Chester, Wilson and Lilly always together. The book ends when Victor shows up.

[catieanderson4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is really cute and teaches a good lesson about acceptance. I think that this would be a good book to read to a third or fourth grade class because it is a little bit longer than the rest of them and I dont know that a first grader would sit and listen for the length of this book. I really like the story line and the pictures. Great book.

[conuly · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Chester is the neighborhood Weird Kid. Clearly. He always does things in his own special and particular way. So does his friend, Wilson. They double knot their shoelaces. They use handsignals on their bikes. They never swing at the first pitch. They always carry extra bandaids.Then Lilly moves in, with HER special way of doing things. And Chester and Wilson avoid her like the plague. Seriously. But she saves the day with water guns when some bigger boys decide to taunt Chester and Wilson (it's the hand signals), and they discover that her own weird way of doing things isn't so bad - and that they have a lot in common with her as well. So they become friends.There's a lot of mirroring in this book. The description of Lilly's special way of doing things mirrors pretty closely the description of how Chester and Wilson do things (with different details slotted in, of course), and the description of how the three friends do things together is the same as the description of how the two friends do things together (but with different pictures, naturally). At the end of the book, Victor moves into the neighborhood. In a later book, we find out that Victor does become friends with the trio as well. (Although he must be the weirdest of the bunch - he's shown chasing down a butterfly with his bare hands. GO VICTOR!)

[justineaylward · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my all time favorites!!! Chester and Wilson are best friends and exactly the same, then they meet Lilly! Lilly is too much for them, but they end up a happy trio in the end. Great lesson on acceptance and loving and learning from differences, rather than fearing the new and unknown.

[t1bclasslibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chester has his own very particular way of doing things, and Chester's best friend, Wilson, does things the exact same way. When Lilly moves into the neighborhood, however, she has HER own way of doing things. They try to avoid her, until she saves them from some bullies. Then they all make friends and have they all do things the same way.

[kidlitlist · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My first introduction to Henkes mice books - a beautiful and humorous story of friendship and learning to accept others - not cheesy at all