Tuesday, August 14, 2018

I Got a Chicken for my Birthday by Laura Gehl - ADVISABLE


I Got a Chicken for my Birthday by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Sarah Horne.  PICTURE BOOK Carolrhoda Books (Lerner), 2018.  $18  9781512431308  

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – ADVISABLE  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE  

Ana tells Abuela Lola that she wants tickets to an amusement park for her birthday, so Ana is surprised when she opens her present and has been given a chicken.  Ana starts to realize that this isn’t an ordinary chicken when the chicken won’t eat chicken feed or lay eggs.  The chicken gives Ana a list of supplies that it wants and recruits Ana’s other animals to help it with a plan.  Ana is confused by the chicken, until she realizes that it is a genius because the chicken has built her an amusement park.  

This kooky story is actually quite funny and it is a great story to get kids to predict what the chicken might be up to.  The illustrations are bright and appealing and there is a lot going on in each picture.  My eight-year old son thought this book was weird (he’s very literal) but I loved the creative story.  

C. Peterson

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