Interrupting Chicken

By: David Ezra Stein
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication Date: August 2010
ISBN: 978-0763641689
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: March 22, 2011

Papa chicken pulled the jammie top over little red chicken's head and picked her up to take him to her bed. The dark sky could be seen between the cracks of the curtains as a breeze ruffled them. Little chicken's bed was ready and waiting and her teddy was already tucked in, but there was something amiss. Little chicken announced to her Papa that there was something missing and when asked what it was she boldly announced, "A bedtime story!" There were lots of books piled up near the bed, and Papa agreed and firmly announced, "I'll read one of your favorites. And of course you are not going to `interrupt' the story tonight are you?" Oh, no ... little red chicken was really going to be a good girl!

Papa began to read the story of "Hansel and Gretel" and just when the old woman invited them in, the little red chicken began to shout her warning to the children and said, "So Hansel and Gretel didn't. THE END." It may have been true, but Papa was not very happy with little red chicken and scolded her. Oh, yes, she was going to be a very good girl. Maybe. Papa began to read about "Little Red Riding Hood." "Out jumped a little red chicken, and she said, `DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS!'" Papa was not very happy with two interruptions and scolded little red chicken again. Was Papa ever going to get through a book without interruption? Was little red chicken going to be a good girl and listen?

This marvelously zany story of the little red chicken that interrupted her Papa's stories will tickle your funny bone. Of course this story does have a light realistic cast to it as many little ones, as we all know, sometimes enjoy interrupting a story to shout out the ending. The little red chicken has the "I know, I know" syndrome and loves to tell her Papa the end of the story. This story has a delightfully humorous twist at the end that would make even the most diehard curmudgeon smile. The artwork has a lovely nostalgic aura when Papa is reading from a fairy tale and a scintillatingly silly cast to it when we see him reading to his little chicken.

Quill says: Interrupting Chicken is a Caldecott Honor Book, a definite tale for those who enjoy a little humor in their bedtime stories!