CHICKEN IN SPACE

It's hard not to admire a chicken with dreams of going into space. Moreover, this chicken has a plan—and a pig.

The text is dry and concise; the characters clearly represent familiar character types. Zoey, the would-be-astronaut, is supremely self-confident, even when adjusting her "plan" on the fly. Sam, the pig, is a little concerned about going into space before lunch, especially before pie, but he believes in Zoey and will follow her anywhere. The other animals have insurmountable reservations and may even lack imagination. The dog is content with the space he's got; the mouse is too timid; the cow is too practical, pointing out that Zoey doesn't have a ship. But helium balloons tied to a basket make a fine ship, taking the doughty protagonists higher than chicken and pig have gone before. Keen-eyed observers will have already spotted the balloons in several of the matte, pastel-colored digital illustrations. As the duo gains altitude, the perspective makes a slight change from horizontals to aerials. Space is perilous. When they crash-land, Zoey and Sam tell the others tales of asteroids (a ball), comets (a kite), and aliens (birds). A moon-pie reward for Sam completes the adventure…until the next one….

What a flight of imagination.