A Chicken Followed Me Home!

Starred review from May 18, 2015
“A chicken followed me home... What do I do now?” begins this subtly funny guide to caring for chickens. The bird in question, a Rhode Island Red whose marbled swirls of red and black give the suggestion of feathers, makes for a handsome model as Page answers chicken-related questions. When asked, “Will my chicken fly away?” Page assures readers that “if you feed your chicken and give her a safe place to sleep, she probably won’t fly away.” Lightly irreverent in tone and design (dictionary-style inset images highlight various chicken food sources, predators, and coops), yet packed with information for urban and rural homesteaders alike, the book only leaves one question unanswered: Why did this chicken follow me home in the first place? Ages 5–10.

February 1, 2015
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 but a little dry, but this in no way takes away from the book's value. Done in a collage style similar to Jenkins', Page's illustrations are no less artful. Often spanning 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. (Informational picture book. 4-9)

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Starred review from February 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-With a touch of humor, this well-designed title presents everything you always wanted to know about chickens-but didn't know to ask. The book starts with an unnamed narrator who's been followed home by a fowl, asking, "What do I do now?" After the hen eventually lays and hatches eggs and the chicks mature into adult hens, the child hopes that the creatures will "follow someone else home." Along the way, readers are introduced to information on anatomy, care, and life cycle. A question begins each topic ("Will my chicken lay eggs?") with keywords highlighted with larger, bolder type. Details are labeled or given small call-out illustrations. Digitally produced, the images are well integrated with the text and use highly textured shapes. Bright, solid color backgrounds alternate with white ones. Readers will find tons of fun and well-presented material; one page displays 260 eggs, the average number a hen lays in a year. A concluding spread of "More Chicken Questions" gives further detail and a list of more resources. VERDICT A charming addition to animal collections. Expect newly hatched domestic fowl enthusiasts to crow over this one.-Carol S. Surges, formerly at Longfellow Middle School, Wauwatosa, WI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Grades K-2 A chicken followed me home! What do I do now? Ever had that desperate feeling? Here, Page takes readers' questions about the bird and gives simple answers to each query. The questions she poses (from the viewpoint of a child) include the essential, such as what a chicken eats to general curiosities, such as how to distinguish between a hen and a rooster, how to determine its breed, how to keep the animals safe, will it lay eggs (and, if so, how many), and what if I want baby chicks? The answers are given in a straightforward manner using vocabulary a child understands. The book's bright, bold, colorful illustrations often cover a two-page spread and will draw in younger audiences, while older children will like the illustrations and be intrigued by the facts. Back matter includes more questions and answers about chickens and a short bibliography. A great book for families with backyard chickens.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

May 1, 2015
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 ( How long does it take an egg to become a chick? ) and answers ( If a fertilized egg is kept warm and turned regularly, a chick will hatch in about 21 days ) just one question about chickens and their care, and the sequence of questions is logical, with each answer building on what'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 ( Why do chickens have combs? ) and a neat, brief directory of other sources for information. Sophie in Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, reviewed on page 112, would've found the practical information here extremely useful. roger sutton

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2015
Each page or spread asks and answers just one question about chickens and their care, presented in a logical sequence. Lots of white space in the warm Photoshop illustrations allows the exemplar chicken, a Rhode Island Red, plenty of room; she is generally pictured at about half life-size. A closing spread offers a slightly more advanced set of chicken questions. Reading list, websites.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)