Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes.

32 pages. Greenwillow, 1988.

Chester (a mouse) always does things his way, from the way he cuts his sandwiches to the way he ties his shoes. He and his best friend, Wilson, are inseparable, and have all the same tastes and preferences. When Lilly moves into the neighborhood, they can't help noticing that she does things in her own unique way. They decide that she's weird, and avoid her. But when Lilly saves them from a group of bullies, they become friends. They find that they have both differences (for example, in the ways they cut their sandwiches) and similarities (for example, they all have night lights). When Chester and Wilson try doing things Lilly's way, they find that they enjoy them. They teach her some of their ways, too. The three friends become inseparable. Children will see that even kids who have very strong feelings about doing things a certain way can be comfortable making room in their lives for new ways to do things.

Ages: 3-7
Cultural Context: non-human