  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 03/01/2018 Though she hopes to get amusement-park tickets for her birthday, the young narrator of this fanciful tale instead gets a chicken. But this bird, who has no time for eating or laying eggs, is no run-of-the-mill fowl. It develops a project, requiring a long list of items and the help of many friends. This project is slowly shown to be an amusement park. Although the story is slight, it is creatively told. The facts are revealed in a low-key repetitive text, and the words are kept to a minimum, all of the humor and action in the brightly colored illustrations. The narration moves slowly along, with the title inserted on every other double-page spread. The illustrations show the pleasantly plump, dark-feathered, needle-headed chicken industriously scurrying about to build the amusement park. Many characters—mostly animals—are brought in to help build, including the other household pets and the human family. This chicken story is definitely as good as a ticket to an amusement park, maybe better. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. School Library Journal - 04/01/2018 PreS-Gr 2—This silly story starts with an unexpected birthday gift. A young girl with jet black braids is hoping for a trip to the amusement park but instead of satisfying her request, Abuela Lola sends a chicken. Despite her visible disappointment, the girl tries to make the best of the situation. But the chicken shows little interest in egg laying and things start to get strange when the chicken presents the girl with a long shopping list and enlists her other pets in a mysterious construction project. By the end of the story, it becomes clear that the girl's birthday gift is much more than a strange new pet. The text is simple with the phrase, "I got a chicken for my birthday" repeated throughout will encourage child participation. Colorful and energetic pen-and-ink illustrations pair well with the humorous story. VERDICT Kids will enjoy pointing out the details that provide visual clues as to what the chicken is up to. An amusing story with a twist, perfect for a maker or construction storytime.—Kimberly Tolson, Millis Public Library, MA - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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