MY LIFE AS A CHICKEN

Written by Ellen A. Kelley

Illustrated by Michael Slack

(Harcourt, 2007)

I am not a fan of rhyming picture books, but sometimes the story and the words are so amusing that I can escape the sing-song way I read most children’s rhymes. Maybe I just have a soft spot for goofy chicken tales.

Pauline Poulet is a hen that is all too aware of her surroundings. She lays egg after egg, only to have them snatched and stored in cartons. Worse, she cannot rest like her coop-mates:

But round my roost
I hear suspicious
words like
“Chicken pie,
delicious.”
Has Farmer hatched a crafty plan
to throw me in a frying pan?

Pauline flees the farm, beginning a harrowing adventure that finds her dumped in the sea.

Then pirates pull me
from the foam.
Why, oh why,
did I leave home?

As the frazzled fowl faces challenge after challenge, she finds courage in the words, “Pauline, prevail!” Yes, our little chicken is a comical character who nonetheless provides inspiration when facing fear and demonstrates resilience when things appear bleak.

Michael Slack’s digital mixed media illustrations add to the playfulness of the story. Poor Pauline is shown in a series of hapless circumstances befitting a cartoon character. Her foes appear sinister while simultaneously foolish.

Kids will enjoy joining in to yell, “Pauline, prevail!” They will root for her. Perhaps they can, in turn, come up with original phrases to help them through their own travails.

PETE THE CAT: I LOVE MY WHITE SHOES

Written by Eric Litwin

Illustrated by James Dean

(Harper, 2008)

Author/musician Eric Litwin is a cup half full kind of guy. His character, Pete the Cat, displays the same sunny side up disposition, loving his brand new white shoes, adorning each of his paws.

For most cats, wearing shoes would not be a happy predicament, but Pete so loves his white shoes that he sings a ditty about them.

For a roaming kitty, white doesn’t stay white for long. The shoes change color as Pete trods through such things as a pile of strawberries. The whiteness is gone! Pete may not have expected this, but rather than whine, cry or meow mournfully, Pete simply changes his tune a tad and goes with it.

The reader can easily create his own rhythm or chant for the simple song lyrics. Perhaps AFTER doing this, go to YouTube to see the book performed, song and all, by the author and friends. (Note that illustrator James Dean stands to Litwin’s left, holding the book during the reading.) Warning: the jingle sticks with you like an ear worm. (But that’s good, right? Remember...cup half full.)

This is a simple story that can be read over and over again. (It only takes a few minutes.) The message is clear: have fun, stop whining, be resilient. Not everyone wants to hear that message directly. This colorful, cheerful picture book may help the “Woe is me” set snap out of it.

At the very least, the reader may rush out to expand his Converse shoe collection. I’ve got green, blue, gray, brown and black. Next up: purple!