The Chestnut Challenge: The Nocturnals (Grow & Read Early Reader, Level 3)

One night, three friends were playing a game called Chestnut Checkers. Tobin, a pangolin, was playing Bismarck, a sugar glider, and their friend Dawn the fox was watching. From out of the bushes came a chinchilla named Chandler. He challenged Tobin to a game of checkers.

While they are playing the game, Chandler tells everyone to look behind them, and he secretly moves one of Tobin’s chestnuts. There was not anything behind the friends, but Chandler wanted to distract everyone so he could cheat! Dawn suspected Chandler was up to no good, but she couldn’t prove it.

Then, Chandler fake sneezes and moves more of Tobin’s chestnuts when nobody is looking. Will Tobin beat the cheating Chandler at Chestnut Checkers? Or will Chandler get caught cheating?

I liked that the story had a positive message about treating others nicely and fairly. I also liked the pictures because the animals were all very expressive. My book came with a stuffed Dawn the Fox, which is a character from the story. The reading level is for younger kids around six- to seven years old, but I still enjoyed it!