Rascal the Raccoon

Life in Brailsford Junction, Wisconsin, is peaceful and uneventful for Sterling North, a boy who spends much of his time tending to animals. With his mother hospitalized and his brother away at war, he lives alone with his father and his dog, Hauser. One weekend, Sterling takes a break from his usual tasks and sets off on a fishing trip with his friend Oscar and Hauser. On the way to the river, his dog picks up a scent near a tree. Digging around, the boys discover a raccoon’s nest-and a lone orphaned kit. A hunter had killed its mother for fur, leaving Sterling to take in the helpless raccoon. Amid the strain of his fractured family-his brother at war and his mother’s worsening health-Sterling finds solace in his growing bond with the mischievous raccoon. He names his new companion Rascal, a "ring-tailed wonder" who becomes a bright spot in his life.