Raccoon Rescue

Roxy, Rufus, and Renae are three young raccoons who are slowly learning how to live in the world beyond their den. But when humans come to their creek, the world suddenly expands far beyond what they thought was possible -- or what their Mama was prepared to teach them.

The first in the Living Wild Side by Side series, Raccoon Rescue, an illustrated chapter book, shows how human misperceptions of wildlife (and, perhaps, vice versa) can lead to unintended and unfortunate consequences. Three little raccoons and their mother are fascinated and horrified by how a human family responds to losing, then finding one of its children along the banks of their creek. The humans are likewise fascinated and horrified when they realize their habits have made their home a critical, if risky, source of food. These misperceptions come to a head when the humans encounter the "nuisance" wildlife on their property. After one of the human children takes one of the kits home, the young raccoons mount a dangerous rescue mission to get their little sister back.

D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer with the Midwest Book Review, calls Raccoon Rescue "a satisfyingly different perspective than kids may be used to... both hilarious and thought-provoking... the perfect next step for nature-loving readers [as a] gentle, fun tale of animals learning to get along." Appropriate for children ages 7 to 9 and dyslexia-friendly, Raccoon Rescue comes with a set of curriculum enhancements, including discussion questions and a glossary quiz, and extension activities that teachers or homeschoolers can implement as part of their literature, science, and/or social studies curricula. The activities adhere to US Common Core standards for Grades 2 and 3.