  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 04/01/2016 The classic fairy tale gets a fowl-focused, martial-arts makeover in this jaunty picture book. Hensel (She’s a chicken. Get it?) and Gretel’s parents are all aflutter thanks to news of a wolf in their village. The brave young chicks take it upon themselves to master ninjutsu at the dojo, and it’s going to come in handy. They return home to find their parents missing and a trail of fox prints leading toward the forest, where they come upon a house made of cornbread. Hensel digs in, and, naturally, she gets added to the fox’s menu. Gretel, meanwhile, sneaks around the kerneled roof and stealthily drops in just in time to save her sister and parents. Schwartz and Gomez’s lively limericks tell the story in a swift, kicky rhythm, while Santat’s dynamic, warm-toned, and action-filled illustrations throw a nice nod to kung-fu movies. With a twist on the usual ending—the chicken family goes on to sneakily protect feathered friends with their ninja moves—this will especially delight little ones familiar with the original tale. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. School Library Journal - 05/01/2016 PreS-Gr 2—After their mother is abducted by a fox, chickens Hensel and Gretel take rescue into their own hands by learning to become ninjas in this rollicking fractured fairy tale. They train at the 3 Pigs Dojo (recognizable to fans of The Three Ninja Pigs), until one evening they return home to find their coop ransacked and Papa gone. Leaving a trail of crumbs, they search the forest until stumbling upon a house made of delicious corn bread. After Hensel is taken in (literally and figuratively) by the fox, Gretel pops down the chimney and the pair leap, kick, and slice their way to justice. Action and movement abound in a fast-paced tale brimming with silliness and humor. Rhyming text never misses a beat, flowing smoothly and incorporating laughs into every line: "You two Ninja Chicks got us out of that fix, and justice—not dinner—was served." Santat's comic-style panels keep momentum going with richly colored mixed-media illustrations and showcase two hilariously expressive kick-butt heroines. No helpless, victimized protagonists here—only empowered poultry, ready to make it their mission to "rescue, protect, and defend." - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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