by Lyn Hancock | Mar 15, 2023

Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon, Chapter 7

READING ALOUD CHAPTER 7 TABASCO THE SAUCY RACCOON

Well, what’s Tabasco my Saucy Raccoon been up to in chapter 7?

We are at our Okanagan home on Trout Creek and it is Christmas, a snowy Christmas.

On Christmas Eve Tabasco did what lots of people do – he left me cooking a Christmas Eve dinner party and scooted off to see what other people were doing.

A few hours later when my raccoon hadn’t come home, I went looking for him. I found him on the verandah of the local naturalist’s house. The raccoon was the life of her party but she didn’t let him inside. Tabasco entertained the guests through the window – dancing and prancing, whirling and twirling, on an outside table while the guests inside were egging him on – clapping, blowing whistles, waving party hats. No wonder the raccoon didn’t want to come home when I called.

You’ll have fun too, reading some of Tabasco’s other activities in this chapter – skating, playing hockey, cross-country skiing, cooking Christmas dinner, opening Christmas presents that I hung from the branch of a tree leaning over Trout Creek. Tabasco came with us even we had to struggle through snow to trap deer, – and radio collaring cougars. Biologist Jack had to work even at Christmas.

And then there was the day when Christmas holidays ended and Tabasco taught and entertained all grades from kindergarten to university.

Yep, I bet you won’t find another raccoon in the world who has had all those experiences.

I’ll just read a couple of pages from chapter 7 when Jack’s daughter, Shelley, took Tabasco to Uplands Elementary School in Penticton.”

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About Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon

By Diana Lowery

Tabasco lives up to his name as he creates plenty of spicy adventures for his caretaker.

Adopting a three-week-old raccoon is a challenging responsibility even for an experienced wildlife researcher, but the rewards for keeping him hid from her landlord and smuggling him onto planes for a tour of Canada are worth the effort. Tabasco becomes a treasured asset to the author’s lecture circuit as she promotes animal research.

In Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon, author Lyn Hancock presents a chronological description of each stage of development as her pocket-sized, adorable critter grows into a full-sized raccoon. This memoir is a testament to Hancock’s patience and her concern for animal welfare. Her intention is to teach Tabasco the skills needed to live on his own. The situations that arise between the teacher and her pupil are both humorous and educational. Hancock’s writing skills are evident in this easy reading, 165-page story. The short chapters make this suitable for young readers. The descriptive passages make it enjoyable for an older audience.

The best part of this book is the realistic dialogue. Lyn’s conversations with both humans and animals add humor to the already comical circumstances that occur when raising wildlife inside your home. The trick-or-treat scene is one of my favourites. I also enjoyed the way that the author explains the various clicks and chirps that Tabasco uses to converse with her.

This book would be a perfect read-aloud in an elementary classroom. The students would be captivated by Tabasco and would be learning some zoology in the process. I was drawn to the story because I used to have a raccoon that knocked on my kitchen door at night asking for his dinner. After reading this book, I am glad I never encouraged my nocturnal friend to come inside.

Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon deserves 4 out of 4 stars. It is exceptionally well-edited: I found no errors. The cover is attractive, and the illustrations are clever. The black and white photographs at the end are endearing. The book will appeal to a wide range of readers. I recommend it specifically to nature lovers who appreciate the bond between animals and humans.