I read this sweet story to my 8 year old son and he really enjoyed it!

What I liked: I liked that this book showed the friends all being caring and considerate of one another. Each little animal had their own quirk which was valued by the group. We saw conflict resolution and empathy modeled, which is always great to see in a children’s book. I also thought it was great how Mrs. Opossum handled Chester’s separation anxiety with a gentle heart. I felt similar anxiety as a child during sleepovers, and seeing this normalized is great. I like that the book ended with Chester going to sleep because this type of ending always works really well for a bedtime story.

What my my son liked: My son laughed at Sassafras’s stinky puffs, and also when the animal friends ate trash for lunch. He loved the cute illustrations and thought all the animals were adorable.

Overall, we both loved this book and would recommend to anyone! We are glad we read it.

I received this free ARC from NetGalley, the review reflected below is my opinion.

I adore Chester Raccoon. The Kissing Hand is such a sweet story, and this book is just as heartwarming! I loved the new different characters and the story. This is sure to be a hit with kids!

Such a cute children’s book, sorry for the delay with reviewing, I really enjoyed reading this one. Thanks again

UGH Audrey Penn has done it again! I loved the Kissing Hand growing up and I can't wait to purchase a physical copy of this to share with my future children!

We follow a fun play date with Chester Raccoon. The combination of gorgeous illustrations with a fun story line, makes for an enjoyable read. When everyone gets tuckered out Chester begins to miss home. What will he do?

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I love Chester Raccoon. I've loved him ever since I read The Kissing Hand to my five-year-0ld son and dropped him off on his first day of school with a kiss in the middle of his palm. The newest saga of Chester doesn't fail to delight, as he leaves his home for his first sleepover. The illustrations are warm and beautiful, as is the story. When Chester gets homesick after a day of fun with his friends he goes home early to his welcoming mother and cozy home. Highly recommended. and I know my students will love it.

Fans of the Kissing Hand and Chester Raccoon will be happy to see there is another book in the series. The concept of keeping your mother close when you first venture out into the world is explored through a sleepover. But since the animals are nocturnal, they call it a dayover. The other woodland characters are sweet, and one of the animals, a skunk, makes stinky puffs (farts) when she gets nervous. Young children will love the silly parts, and feel comforted by the parent-child connection.

I highly recommend this picture book for any library!

Great book to read with kidz! The story shows acceptance of others, including acceptance of self when little racoon wants to go home early from the fun. The illustrations by Barbara Leonard Gibson are more than fantastic and are just too much fun! Get one for home, gifting, and for local local library!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook from Tanglewood Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

The Kissing Hand is an excellent idea for kids, and this book expands on that idea. Chester Raccoon begins another step growing up, and the author captures the emotional highs and lows of the day in way that is both authentic and helpful. An excellent book for all younger kids.

This is a sweet book and as the title implies with the the word "almost" in it, will lend reassurance to those wary of a sleepover. The characters are fun-loving and playful Above all, they are inclusive. The skunk will certainly provide its own silly humor.
If a parent is looking for a book to help alleviate the stress of a first sleepover, this will not be the book for them. Its message of acceptance and knowing that safety is at the other end is foremost.

Thank you to Netgalley, Tanglewood publishing and Audrey Penn for the read and honest ARC review.

What an absolute delightful bedtime read this book is. About sleepovers with nocturnal friends. With some cheeky giggles along the way. This is exactly how i imagine little creatures of the night sleepovers to be.

The poem at the end, Loved it!!!

A sweet little book to help our little ones with their first sleepovers. Reminding them , if they at all feel anxious, that it is always ok to call your parents and go home.

The illustrations and story are beyond cute!

A beautiful read to help put our young ones to sleep.

Chester Raccoon and the Almost Perfect Sleepover (Chester the Raccoon #7). By Audrey Penn, Illustrator: Barbara L. Gibson. 2017. Tanglewood (ARC eBook).

Chester Raccoon and some of his friends are having an overday sleepover at Pepper opposum’s tree hollow. Safe and fun activities are had and yummy food eaten. Chester has a blast but is also happy to be welcomed home by his family on his return. Chester Raccoon and the Almost Perfect Sleepover, accompanied by detailed, colorful and adorable illustrations, is a story that explore the emotions and affections of a parent and their child, the overseeing parent, rambunctious friends and home.

I really liked this story. It's really cute and has funny parts with the skunk, but also addresses being away from home (family). It's nice to have friends and to spend time doing fun things with them, but we all miss home when we've been away too long. This story is good for kids who are beginning to go on play dates or spending the night with a friend and may be feeling a little anxious about being away from home. The illustrations are eye catching and go perfectly with the story. I believe children will enjoy the story and be able to identify with the main character in missing home.

The Kissing hand was such an amazing story that I have used many time at work. The bond between a caregiver and child is very important in the health of a child. You can see the bond that Mother Racoon and Chester have through this delightful story as well. I did enjoy that they incorporated "The Kissing Hand" element from the first book. There were several different animals in this book at the sleepover. I like that they used the things that make each animal different from each other in a positive way. Good job!

Cute, heartwarming story that will be a hit with children. The illustrations are beautiful and there is even a cute poem at the end. Maybe not as memorable as the first but definitely cute!

I was so excited to read this sweet book because I love Audrey Penn's prior books, especially the wonderful "Kissing Hand". This book also features Chester Raccoon, and he is off to a sleepover with his friends and dealing with some of the emotions that come with it.

I think the book was overall very well written, funny, and sweet. Children will be reassured that it can be normal to have some feelings of nervousness or anxiety when going to a sleepover, and that it is okay to tell adults about your feelings. The characters model kind behavior to each other which I appreciated. The book was funny in a way that I think kids will enjoy.. Illustrations were clear and whimsical.

For me, this book didn't reach the level of "Kissing Hand", just because that one so clearly gave a tangible method of reassurance, and was so loving. But if you liked that book, or are wanting books that help to model good behavior and ways to deal with feelings, I highly recommend Chester Raccoon and the Almost Perfect Sleepover

It's cute. As far as the story goes it doesn't really pop, but I enjoy the art. What initially caught my attention was the cover.
Obviously, I am not part of the main demographic, but working with children has made me particular (picky) about what I read to them. Perhaps it is better through the perspective of a child?

Chester Raccoon - from the classic "Kissing Hand" book - spends the day playing with his friends and they decide to have a sleepover, but Chester gets homesick. It's a sweet story that shows how much fun Chester has (with some child-level humor of them eating rotten food and bugs and the Skunk making stinkies a lot), but that he misses his mom and would like to go home. I like how the adults were supportive and didn't pressure Chester into doing something he didn't want to do, although I would have liked maybe an additional line or two showing that Chester would try again even though he wasn't able to do it the first time. Parents could use this to explain to children before their first sleepover that it's fun to try new things, but if they feel uncomfortable it is okay to be homesick and want to come home sometimes. The end has a poem that summarizes the entire story. It was a heartwarming and wholesome story that also gave me a nostalgic feeling because I was a little kid when The Kissing Hand first came out and it was one of the first books ever read to me.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.

This is my first Chester Raccoon book.

The story is appealing enough. Chester is out for a sleepover at his friend's house. The day passes with lots of fun, and a major chunk of the book is devoted to the activities. But the night brings a bout of homesickness in the little raccoon. What happens next forms the rest of the story.

The title seemed intriguing enough for me to choose this book. Why "almost perfect" and not perfect"? The book does justify this part of the title. However, "sleepover", though used in the title, barely makes an appearance throughout the book. Instead, the author uses the word "overday". Most of the book is about the daytime fun that the animal friends have. It is only towards the end that the sleepover is mentioned once, and then too, it doesn't actually go ahead. So the title is a misfit if there's a parent looking for a book on positive sleepover experiences to share with their children.

If I ignore this anomaly, then the story is quite good on its own, and matched with many hilarious scenes and cute illustrations. The book is suited to young readers.

This is a sweet story about Chester Raccoon, following the success of the Kissing Hand. It is such a bittersweet reminder of what childhood was like when you stayed away from your own home. I really enjoyed this cute little book.
I can’t wait to read to the boys at bedtime I’m sure they will enjoy like I do.
Thanks NetGalley and tanglewood for the arc in exchange for an honest review