Synopses & Reviews
Why did the chicken cross the road? To follow you home! Learn all about a not-so-basic bird in this delightful nonfiction picture book.
What's that? A chicken followed you home? Now what do you do?
Celebrated author-illustrator Robin Page leads a step-by-step, question-and-answer-style journey through the world of chickens. Along the way you'll explore different breeds, discover
Gorgeous, playful, and filled with facts, this engaging nonfiction picture book shines new light on a very familiar fowl!
Review
This straightforward introduction to chickens is a lesson in book design of young informational books. Lots of white space allows the exemplar chicken, a Rhode Island Red, plenty of room; she (and the book clearly explains how to tell the males from the females) is generally pictured at about half life-sized. Each page or spread asks (and#8220;How long does it take an egg to become a chick?and#8221;) and answers (and#8220;If a fertilized egg is kept warm and turned regularly, a chick will hatch in about 21 daysand#8221;) just one question about chickens and their care, and the sequence of questions is logical, with each answer building on whatand#8217;s come before. The Photoshop illustrations are warm and unclinical but spare and always attentive to the particular topic under review. A closing spread offers a slightly more advanced set of chicken questions (and#8220;Why do chickens have combs?and#8221;) and a neat, brief directory of other sources for information. Sophie in andlt;iandgt;Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmerandlt;/iandgt;, reviewed on page 111, wouldand#8217;ve found the practical information here extremely useful.
Review
In her first foray as solo writer and illustrator, Page, Steve Jenkins' frequent collaborator (and spouse), presents a child-friendly Q-and-A to prepare children for the titular eventuality. Starting with the all-important "What will my chicken eat?" the book goes on to answer more questions, such as "Will my chicken lay eggs?" and "What if I want baby chickens?" Readers will learn to tell the difference between a hen and a rooster and how to identify chicken breeds, as well as how to keep predators at bay. The answers given are concise....Done in a collage style similar to Jenkins', Page's illustrations are no less artful. Often spreading across double-page spreads, cut- and torn-paper images jump out in bold colors and patterns, occasionally complemented by monotone engravings for interest and contrast. Younger readers will be drawn to the bright, bold images, and older readers will enjoy the chicken facts. Two further pages of facts at the book's end satisfy those who might be curious about how fast a chicken can run or who might enjoy a step-by-step visualization of a fertilized egg's life cycle. Plus, a short bibliography allows readers to seek more information. A delightful and informative book for families wanting to raise chickens or learn where eggs come from.
Synopsis
Why did the chicken cross the road? To follow you home Learn all about a not-so-basic bird in this delightful nonfiction picture book.
What s that? A chicken followed you home? Now what do you do?
Celebrated author-illustrator Robin Page leads a step-by-step, question-and-answer-style journey through the world of chickens. Along the way you ll explore different breeds, discover different types of coops, and learn everything there is to know about chicken reproduction and hatching.
Gorgeous, playful, and filled with facts, this engaging nonfiction picture book shines new light on a very familiar fowl "
About the Author
Robin Page has written and illustrated several picture books, including the 2003 Caldecott Honoree What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?, which she created with her husband Steve Jenkins. Robin and Steve live in Boulder, Colorado.Robin Page has written and illustrated several picture books, including the 2003 Caldecott Honoree What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?, which she created with her husband Steve Jenkins. Robin and Steve live in Boulder, Colorado.