Mrs. Raccoon must help Chester to understand what it means when his friend, Skiddil Squirrel, does not return to school after having an accident. To ease his sadness at the loss of his friend, she teaches Chester how to keep the time he spent with his friend fresh in his thoughts by creating a memory.

I was asked to write a story for children about losing a loved one several decades ago by a rabbi. He wanted something on a child’s level that he could leave with families in this difficult time. It proved to be a difficult book to write, as every religion has a different belief surrounding the death of a community member. The common link is the gathering of the community after the death of a member to remember who this person was to them. I finally chose not to write about death, but to write about remembering a loved one who has passed away. Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories has thus far received rave reviews, and has been the subject of many grateful emails I’ve received to date. The loss of a loved one is a difficult topic to address, especially with children. I hope this helps.