A Hen for Izzy Pippik

K-Gr 5—Based on ancient Jewish and Islamic tales, and following on the heels of the recent retelling by Elka Weber in One Little Chicken (Tricycle, 2011), this is the story of a chicken lost and the honest girl who finds her. Shaina comes upon a hen near a broken crate marked Izzy Pippik Chickens and Eggs. Despite her family's hunger, she is determined to keep the hen for Izzy until he returns. Months pass, and generations of fowl are born, but Shaina will not let the townspeople eat the chickens or the eggs. The poor village's fortunes rise as it becomes a tourist spot known for its giant flock of lovely poultry, and the people panic when Izzy Pippik finally appears. Luckily, the kindly man gifts the flock to the town and all ends happily. This version is charmingly told with pleasing conversational patterns and alliteration. The Jewish flavor of the story comes through in the names of the townspeople, although their ethnicity is never stated explicitly. The colored pencil illustrations are striking with their clean lines, slightly surreal figures, and muted palette. The early-20th-century setting gives the book a folksy, old-fashioned feeling without pushing it completely into the world of long ago. While Shaina's hardheadedness may seem a bit difficult to fathom, the entertainingly told story and compelling illustrations will pull readers in. A good choice where folktales or character education stories are in demand.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL