Children's Book Review: Chicken Big by Keith Graves

 My Thoughts:


Chicken Big is a great read-aloud book for all ages. I love Chicken Big! I am impressed with the author's writing and storytelling. I think he is pure genius. Keith Graves mentioned that his grandpa read stories to him each night in his bio. First, I began reading this delightful children's book in one sitting and howled aloud. As a grandma, it was such pure delight to read this winning book to my grandson who giggled with glee and then my husband overheard the story and chuckled as well.


The story starts with the main character, a really big chicken called Chicken Big who was born from a hen egg. The story line moves along with other not-so-smart chicken character's being introduced from the chicken community who are trying to figure out just what this enormous someone really is. Perhaps he's an elephant. At any rate, Chicken Big is just too big to fit into their group so they boot him out. 

Soon all the little chickens are clucking with excitement (you know how they get) and seem to be alarmed that all of their chicken eggs have been stolen by a sly red fox. No worries, this story has a very happy ending because Chicken Big saves the day and happily is accepted in the chicken community. There is definitely room for this big dude in their coop!

A charming book with great pictures and humor, plus a classic fable.  It's great to laugh, too. 5 stars! I highly recommend Chicken Big to kindergarten-5th-grade teachers, parents of little ones and then to all precious grandparents who love those endless laughing moments of complete hysteria, entertainment with education, for sure with their grandchildren. (Makes a great gift book, too).

Book Description:

 On a teeny little farm, in an itty-bitty coop, a very small hen laid a big, giant egg. And out of this egg came one big, humongous . . . something. "It's big!" clucked the little rooster. "It's enormous!" clucked the small chicken. "It's an elephant!" peeped the smallest chicken. "Run for your lives!" they cried. No matter how they try, these clueless chickens can't make sense of the gigantic new member of their family—until he saves the day. With wacky, laugh-out- loud humor and silliness to spare, this BIG twist on the classic Chicken Little story lends a whole new perspective to what it means to be chicken.
Keith Graves is Professor Emeritus at the Chicken School in Austin, Texas, where he teaches courses in chicken history. Strangely, he has the same name as another guy who wrote the book Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance, as well as some other ridiculous books, but we doubt he's the same guy.

Book Details:

Chicken Big 

By Keith Graves
7-1/2 x 11 in; 40 pp ; full-color throughout, ages 4-8
Guided Reading Level: M
Hardcover
Published in August, 2010
ISBN 9780811872379
ISBN10 0811872378
$16.99

Author Keith Graves

Biography

Keith Graves is Professor Emeritus at the Chicken School in Austin, Texas, where he teaches courses in chicken history. Strangely, he has the same name as another guy who wrote the book Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance, as well as some other ridiculous books, but we doubt he's the same guy.


For more information, visit Keith's website:
http://www.keithgravesart.com/

Publishers Weekly

Compared to panicky Chicken Little, Chicken Big is unflappable. Born "on a teeny little farm, in an itty-bitty coop," this newborn towers over four fellow chickens, who decide he must be an elephant (his stature recalls the "Hyde and Go Tweet" Merrie Melodies cartoon featuring Tweety and Sylvester). When something drops on the smallest hen, she yelps, "The sky is falling!" Chicken Big calmly says, "It's only an acorn. They're actually quite tasty." He is equally placid and helpful when the ditsy chickens freak out over the rain and wind, revising their guesses about his identity--"Apparently, he is an umbrella!" When a fox steals their eggs and Chicken Big foils the crime, they finally figure it out: "Only one thing could be so smart, so kind, so warm, and so brave." Graves (Desert Rose and Her Highfalutin Hog) renders his fowl in a palette of gray-blue, taupe, and wheat yellow, with exuberant voice bubbles that highlight the ridiculousness of the smaller chickens' assertions. Graves has great fun at their expense--preserving the message that fools jump to hasty conclusions--and kids will, too. Ages 4 8. (Sept.)

Chicken Big was sent to me through the Chronicle Books’ Gold Review Panel program for review.

Chicken Big
 
 -- LadyD 

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis