Weekend with Chewy

Reach for this book when your child is feeling the weight of a new responsibility or struggling to balance their rich imaginary world with real-world tasks. It is perfect for children who might feel anxious about caring for a living creature for the first time. The story follows seven-year-old Warren as he navigates the high-stakes weekend of hosting the class hamster, Chewy, while managing his fiercely protective (and imaginary) best friend, Dragon. This gentle transitional chapter book validates a child's internal logic while modeling how to overcome 'what-if' worries. It is ideal for the 6 to 9 age range as it captures the shift from early childhood fantasy to middle-grade independence. Parents will appreciate how it treats Warren's anxiety with dignity, showing that being careful and being brave can happen at the exact same time.