THE CHICKEN WHO COULDN'T
by Jan Thomas ; illustrated by Jan Thomas
A chicken who cannot discovers that, in fact, he can.
On the way home from a fair, after failing to win a single ribbon, Chicken’s cage is jolted out of the back of a pickup truck, leaving him to find his own way home to the farm. A comical cast of animals try to help. A bird suggests that he fly home; a frog, who consults a manual claiming that chickens can only fly short distances, is less helpful. When Chicken tries to hide in a hole, a bespectacled mole and enthusiastic turtle try to instill in him the confidence he needs to overcome his fears. By repeating “I am a STRONG and POWERFUL and NICE-LOOKING chicken,” Chicken manages to intimidate a hungry fox, make it back home to the friendly farmer (a beige-skinned figure with overalls and hair in a braid), and even win more ribbons at next year’s fair before the whole ordeal starts over again. The comically heavy-handed message of self-confidence is predictably executed, with Chicken serving as a chaotic antihero. Thomas’ trademark goofy illustrations arranged in comic-style panels hold a great deal of energy, and the Looney Tunes–style humor will get a lot of laughs from young audiences. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 18.5% of actual size.)
Like popcorn chicken, this book’s got a nugget of protein at its center.
(Picture book. 3-7)