Big Chickens Go to Town

K-Gr 2 Kids who have read "Big Chickens" (2005) and "Big Chickens Fly the Coop" (2008, both Dutton) will be familiar with the characteristics that make these birds immediately endearing: alternately impulsive and cautious, panicky and pleased, they're a lot like children testing their world. In this installment, the chickens find a bag of feed in the farmer's truck and are intent on pecking it open when the truck takes off. "What if we never get home again?" "What if we fall out of the truck?" "What if we can't get this bag open?" The foolish, fearsome, funny foursome lands in town, and this kind of worry-chorus is echoed in every new situationwhen they cross the road; look for food in a cafe; hear their first jazz band; and run into a park full of pigeons. When the chickens stumble into a happy ending, young readers as well as these birds will feel that the world isn't such a big, bad place after all. This is a book that must be read aloud, and adults might want to do a little practicing beforehand. Helakoski's language is deliciously dense and tricky: "The chickens blabbered, gabbered, and gibber-jabbered. Shouting voices wobbled. Flighty locals bobbled. Running feet flumped. Startled bellies bumped." Children will love Cole's wacky illustrations. Chickens never had such huge nervous eyes, such flappy wings, or such cute outfits. The visual perspectives manage to make the birds look simultaneously large and small: a neat trick. "Big Chickens Go to Town" is more than a really funny book. Every page reminds readers, "That was scary, but we're okay.""Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.