Clucky and the Magic Kettle

PreS-Gr 2—This third tale of Clucky the Hen extends her character as a good mother who is often absentminded. At school, other animals make fun of her and her chicks' friend, and her youngsters go home concerned. When they talk about the incidents with Clucky, she tells them each time that the comments are "nonsense" and to "get that out of your head." After the third time the chicks report negative remarks, Clucky makes a magic brew of spite, envy, and nasty feelings, boils the potion for hours, and puts it in a jar. Clucky and her chicks recycle the jar and the feelings turn to admiration, love, support, and gratitude. Though this title is positioned as a book about bullying, it misses the mark. The illustrations are bright and eye-catching, but the convoluted plot structure, combined with the often-forced rhyming translation, may leave readers feeling dissatisfied.—Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa