THIS LITTLE CHICK
by John Lawrence & illustrated by John Lawrence
Young fans of “Old MacDonald” and similar singalongs will “Moo,” “Ribbit,” and “Oink” right along with this adventurous chick, who wanders away from Mother Hen to find playmates of different species. Adding watercolor washes and printed wood textures to thick lined “vinyl engravings,” Lawrence depicts a small chick with long orange legs bounding about exuberantly with his new friends in spacious, sparsely detailed rural settings. The accompanying ditty, made from large, hand-cut letters, enhances the visual informality, and culminates in a spread-filling cacophony, as Chick loudly plays back all the new sounds he’s learned before settling down to a well-deserved snooze. The rhyme’s not a cumulative one, but there’s enough repetition to encourage even reticent young listeners to chime in. (Picture book. 3-5)