Tag Archives: Chickens

Elem. – Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur)

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Bailey, Linda. Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur). Illustrated by K-Fai Steele. Tundra Books, 2025. 978-1-774-88013-5. 56 p. $19.99. Grades PreK-2.

Lena looks like a chicken, sounds like a chicken, but deep down in her very soul, she knows that she is in fact a dinosaur. Welcome to the farm where Lena lives with the rest of her family flock – the bunch of scaredy chickens. They have a hard time understanding Lena’s boldness. Even the farmer and his wife are perplexed by Lena’s attitude, but their little girl Madeleine thinks Lena is great – she loves her personality. Then one day, a weasel attempts to infiltrate the coop. While her family freaks out, Lena reaches deep down to her dinosaur self and traps the weasel, saving her family! In the end, Madeleine finds a book that proves that chickens are the closest living relatives in the whole world to a dinosaur and presents her findings at her school science fair. The end also provides more information about the evolution of dinosaurs to chickens and lists a couple of non-fiction books for further reading. 

THOUGHTS: This is a hilarious book with engaging and colorful illustrations. I love how it combines a fun story with facts – chickens really are dinosaurs! This would be a fun and engaging supplemental text to science lessons about dinosaurs or chickens. 

Picture Book

Elem. – Farm Animals (Series NF)

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Farm Animals. Bellwether Media, 2024. $17.95 each or $143.60 for set of 8. Grades PreK-2.

Rathburn, Betsy. Chickens. 979-8-886-87758-8.
—. Cows. 979-8-886-87759-5.
—. Ducks. 979-8-886-87760-1.
—. Turkeys. 979-8-886-87765-6.
Sabelko, Rebecca. Goats. 979-8-886-87761-8.
—. Horses. 979-8-886-87762-5.
—. Pigs. 979-8-886-87763-2.
—. Sheep. 979-8-886-87764-9.

What is that sound you hear? Why, it is a farm filled with animals! The series Farm Animals is filled with many different animals one may see on the farm, presented in a way that is easy for young readers to understand. The reviewer received and reviewed the title Goats. Did you know some animals have beards and horns? Goats do, which is what this book is filled with! Young readers will explore goats and their life on the farm, filled with beautiful up-close photographs, large text, and labels to assist their exploration. Readers will be able to see what goats look like, different body parts, what they eat, and different things they may do! Young readers who like goats and farm life will enjoy this book!

THOUGHTS: Bright photographs will attract elementary readers, especially those who love animals and/or farms.

636 – 636.5 Farm Animals

Elem. – Spreckle’s Snack Surprise

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Salisbury, Sandra. Spreckle’s Snack Surprise. Illustrated by Sandra Salsbury. Peachtree Books, 2023. 978-1-682-63482-0. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

Spreckle’s lives on a farm with her fluffy mama, brothers, sisters, and a cozy bed which sounds nice, but it isn’t. The snacks are not good; the choices are slugs or corn. One day Spreckle’s decides to go find the perfect snack and she finds it… a popsicle! However, eating the popsicle turns out to be not so easy, so she has to keep trying. Eventually she decides that  she doesn’t need snacks which is awful because snacks are amazing. All Spreckles needs are her brothers, sisters, fluffy mama, and cozy bed, until she sneezes fire onto the corn and turns it into the most perfect snack ever.

THOUGHTS: This is such a sweet picture book! The reader will love looking at the detail found within the simplistic illustrations. Must have for any elementary school library collection.

Picture Book

Elem. – Mr. Watson’s Chickens

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Dapier, Jarrett, and Andrea Tsurumi, illustrator. Mr. Watson’s Chickens. Chronicle Books, 2021. 9781452177144. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-2.

Mr. Watson and Mr. Nelson live in a big house with a small yard that’s home to two dogs, three cats, and a handful of chickens. Mr. Watson loves his chickens, but when their numbers grow to 456 even he must admit that things are getting out of hand. One, Aunt Agnes, even has her own song and warbles it nonstop! The pair packs up and heads for the county fair to find loving homes for their chicks, but not before further hijinks ensue. One action-packed illustration offers a fun Where’s Waldo vibe as readers hunt for Aunt Agnes on the fair’s bandstand. 

THOUGHTS: This wonderfully inclusive picture book will delight young readers with the chickens’ escapades and bright colors! Mr. Watson’s Chickens also could serve as a gentle introduction to a life cycle or animal care unit.

Picture Book          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

Elem. – The Chicken House

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Cronin, Doreen. The Chicken House. Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin. Simon Spotlight, 2021. 978-1-534-48706-2. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-3.

In this early reader adventure, The Chicken Squad is back for another adventure. Sugar, Dirt, Sweetie, and Poppy live in the triangle chicken house with their mother. Dirt likes to read by the window, Sweetie likes to draw on the walls, Poppy likes to rest in a big shoe, and mother Moosh likes when everyone is home. Home is a bit crowded though. J.J. lives in a doghouse that has a bathtub; a big, soft bed; and a table for massages. Sugar invites her siblings to the more spacious dog house, and each enjoys having a little elbow room. But Moosh misses her chicks, and J.J. notices his dog house isn’t like it used to be. Will everyone find a way to be comfortable and feel at home? This text has longer sentences with simple chapters and high-interest vocabulary words. 

THOUGHTS: A fun twist on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, this chicken adventure will garner laughs of emerging readers.

Early Reader          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

Elem. – Chickenology: The Ultimate Encyclopedia

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Sandri, Barbara, and Francesco Giubbilini. Chickenology: The Ultimate Encyclopedia. Princeton Architectural Press, 2021. 978-1-616-89908-0. 71 p. $19.95. Grades 3-6. 

What’s that clucking noise you hear? It’s a chicken, of course! Students will learn all about these amazing barnyard creatures in Chickenology: The Ultimate Encyclopedia. Topics presented include the different varieties of chickens, chicken characteristics, habitat, chicken care and health, reproduction, chickens throughout history, and much more. Also discussed are chickens in literature and chickens as pets. In addition, readers will learn about chicken eggs, including parts of the egg, types of eggs, and how eggs are eaten around the world. The text is accompanied by Camilla Pintonato’s numerous detailed illustrations, which are sure to keep readers engaged in the world of chickens.

THOUGHTS: This is an excellent resource for all things chicken! Written in a conversational style, Chickenology will be of use to student researchers as well as the casual browser, who will no doubt enjoy all the unique chicken factoids shared through the book. (Did you know studies have shown chicks can count up to four?) Highly recommended.

636.5 Farm Animals          Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD