Chester, The St. Bernard
It is not to often that you find books written about big dogs. I often find myself leaving bookstores and libraries disheartened because once again there was nothing with one of my favorite breeds in it. When I do find something though I love to share!
Today, I had the pleasure of reading a children’s book, Chester the St. Bernard, 
Chester, The water-loving, pool-hopping, salad-eating, St. Bernard dog
where the main characters were all of my favorites- a Newf, Great Pyrenees, and a Saint Bernard. When I glanced at the cover I laughed because the images were so true to form. The Newf was happily eating, the Pyr looked too cool to hang out with the others, and the Saint was goofily smiling. I looked at my own Newf afterwards and laughed thinking, “He could totally be that dog”.
This book was such a fun read. It is not only well written but also has three seriously adorable characters. Their personalities shine through and bring an insightful and entertaining look into the eyes of a puppy trying to fit in with his uber-cool older siblings. Who ever thought that being the new kid on the block would be so difficult?
As an educator, I would have to say that this book is a great resource for parents because this book has the ability to reach kids at all ability levels. Its pictures engage the emergent readers while the large print helps struggling readers to decode words. This book can also be a fun tool to help kids increase the fluency or speed at which words are read and the silly voices the dogs have can help the kids to really immerse themselves in the given roles.
Whether you have kids or not, you should really pick up a copy of Chester, 
The water-loving, pool-hopping, salad-eatng, St. Bernard dog by Leslie Rockitter from your local bookstore. You will not only find yourself grinning from ear-to-ear as you read but will probably laugh out loud in some parts.To order this book, participate in various activities based on the book’s characters or listen to the dogs’ voices go to: www.chesterthestbernard.com
