WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?

A sleuthing chicken follows a trail of clues to try to solve an age-old question.

For her very first case, Inspector Poulet’s friends bring her a big one: Why did the Chicken—who, with her sister the Egg, rules the roost at the henhouse—cross the road? With each new tip or clue, Inspector Poulet gets closer to solving the mystery, but a twist lands the plucky investigator at the center of the solution. Eagle-eyed readers will pick up on hints to the story’s ending by paying close attention to the illustrations. The text is littered with chicken and farm puns, and though they’re admittedly well used, there are so many that they become a distraction. The central mystery is very tongue-in-cheek, but it’s a convoluted push to arrive at the story’s ending. Inspector Poulet wears a chicken-size brown trench coat and flower-adorned fedora. The chickens have large, round eyes with long eyelashes that are largely responsible for conveying their expressions. Setting the scene well with cartoon artwork and making effective use of light and shadow, Fearing relies on varying page layouts and perspectives; some images are split panes, while others are inset in larger illustrations. Though the storyline is muddy, youngsters will enjoy discovering new clues on repeat readings.

A somewhat scrambled mystery that still offers some farmyard fun.