The Chestnut Challenge (The Nocturnals Early Reader Level 3 Series)

by Tracey Hecht, Josie Yee (Illustrator)

Overview

“Fun-to-read story” —Story Monsters
Mom’s Choice Awards® Gold Recipient

This adventure-filled Level 3 Nocturnals Early Reader grows confidence in reading with engaging illustrations, short sentences, and fun alliteration!

Chandler, a sneaky chinchilla, challenges the Nocturnals trio to a game of checkers!
After some strange distractions, Dawn the serious fox, Tobin the sweet pangolin, and Bismark the wacky sugar glider start to suspect something is not right. Chandler is a competitive player... but could he also be a cheater? Bonus Content includes Nocturnals Animal Glossary with Fun Facts!

GREAT FOR EARLY READERS AGES 6–8 (Grades 2-3)

Teachers and Librarians: add to your Transitional Book Collection!

• Level 3 books feature complex plots, new vocabulary and grow information skills

• Teaches Life Skills: Good Sportsmanship, Playing Games for Fun, and Forgiveness

The 8-book Nocturnals Grow & Read Early Reader Collection encourages kids at all reading levels who like adventurous stories featuring unusual nocturnal animals

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781944020231
Publisher:	Fabled Films Press
Publication date:	04/23/2019
Series:	Nocturnals Early Reader Series
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Tracey Hecht is a writer and the creative director of Fabled Films Press. She created The Nocturnals, the critically acclaimed middle-grade and early reader series. The American Booksellers Association chose her first book, The Mysterious Abductions, as a Kids’ Indie Next List pick, and her nonfiction book Nighttime Animals: Awesome Features & Surprising Adaptations received the Children’s Book Council Teacher Favorites Award in 2023. In partnership with the New York Public Library, she created a Read Aloud Writing Program that has since been conducted in hundreds of schools, libraries, and bookstores. She attends Bank Street College, where she is studying to receive a dual master’s degree in childhood general education and special education. Tracey splits her time between New York City and Oquossoc, Maine.

Josie Yee is an award winning illustrator specializing in children's books. She lives in New York City with her daughter, Ana, and their cat, Dude.

Editorial Reviews

Young readers ages 6-8 will delight in this entertaining animal adventure while learning about the themes of playing games for fun and displaying good sportsmanship...especially and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, and community library collections.

Midwest Book Review

Fun-Filled Early Reader with Great Reviews!

Reviews for The Chestnut Challenge

“Fans of the series will find colorful illustrations interspersed with text to help young independent readers follow the story…the theme of an honest game will likely resonate with this intended audience.”—School Library Journal

“Recommended List in Continuing Series."—Kirkus

“Young readers ages 6-8 will delight in this entertaining animal adventure while learning about the themes of playing games for fun and displaying good sportsmanship…especially and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, and community library collections.”—Midwest Book Review

"This is such a fun Early Reader book that is not just entertaining to read, it also teaches the moral lesson of fair play. I believe parents/grandparents will enjoy reading this book to their little ones. Younger readers will love all the Nocturnals books, this is another fun-to-read story in this collection and a great bedtime book."—Story Monsters

Praise for The Nocturnals Grow & Read Early Reader Series

"Beginning readers will enjoy this tale and will cheer on the threesome who defeat a bully by using their words.”—School Library Journal

“Hecht successfully set the stage for more adventurous outings down the road...”—Publishers Weekly

"This tale uses plenty of important vocabulary words, easily decipherable within context, while showing how friends who stick together can facedown even the meanest bully."—Booklist

“The series addresses bullying and empathy in an easy, accessible way, and the books are meant to be read aloud.”—New York Post

From the Publisher

04/01/2019

Gr 1–3—As Tobin and Bismark finish playing of Chestnuts, a game much like Checkers, a stranger approaches, eager to prove he is the real champion. The boastful stranger, a chinchilla named Chandler, challenges timid Tobin the pangolin to the next match. As they begin to play, Chandler creates several distractions. Bismark the sugar glider and Dawn the red fox notice the Chestnuts board has changed each time they return to the game. They quickly realize Chandler is a cheater, moving chestnuts as the friends turn away from the board. Dawn and Tobin impart words of wisdom about playing for fun with no cheap tricks. In the end, Chandler joins the Nocturnals Brigade for a cheerful game. Back matter points readers to free content online as well as facts about nocturnal animals. VERDICT Fans of the series will find colorful illustrations interspersed with text to help young independent readers follow the story. Additionally, the theme of an honest game will likely resonate with this intended audience.—Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa and Polk County Public Schools.

School Library Journal

The series addresses bullying and empathy in an easy, accessible way, and the books are meant to be read aloud.

New York Post

"This is such a fun Early Reader book that is not just entertaining to read, it also teaches the moral lesson of fair play. I believe parents/grandparents will enjoy reading this book to their little ones. Younger readers will love all the Nocturnals books, this is another fun-to-read story in this collection and a great bedtime book."

Story Monsters