A PERFECT HOME FOR A FAMILY

A raccoon couple searches for a new home in this amusing, succinct story with a plot that’s short enough for younger preschoolers and comical enough for older kids. 

Mama Raccoon is anxious to find a new home before her twin babies arrive. Their old home in a hollow tree has become too noisy (baby blue jays) and crowded (a huge opossum family). So with the help of a realtor, the raccoons investigate other possible homes, eventually moving to the attic of a house inhabited by a family with a crying baby and a barking dog. Mama is horrified by the noises below them, and the raccoons return to their original home in the hollow tree (conveniently vacated) just in time for the birth of their twins. The expertly paced text uses short, pithy phrases to tell the tale, with brief dialogue conveyed in humorous, deadpan style. The front cover shows the grinning raccoon family inviting readers into the story, and the large trim size and cheerful, bright illustrations in double-page-spread format make this a fine choice for reading aloud to a group.

A fresh take on the familiar theme: “There’s no place like home.” (Picture book. 3-7)