    | Chickenology : the ultimate encyclopedia Author: Sandri, Barbara | |
| Price: $23.96 | ||
Summary:
This fascinating and informative visual encyclopedia presents chickens in all of their feathered glory. Did you know that baby chicks can count, that roosters can dance, or that hens can be therapy animals? From breeds and anatomy to chicken history and the story of the egg, Chickenology is chock-full of fowl facts. It might even tempt you to raise a chicken or two in your own backyard!
| Added Entry - Personal Name: | Giubbilini, Francesco |
| Illustrator: | Pintonato, Camilla |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (01/01/21)
School Library Journal (01/29/21)
Booklist (+) (01/01/21)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 01/01/2021 *Starred Review* Prepare to be fascinated by the varied world of chickens, presented here in charming detail. Rather than only discussing a chicken’s development from egg to adult, this book also boasts sections on chicken personality, courtship, and feathers; anatomy, intelligence, and super senses; eggs in the kitchen and around the world; “Chickens and Humans,” which inspects chickens in human culture, in addition to raising and caring for these feathered friends; and it closes with a sampling of breeds. Much as Bees: A Honeyed History (2017), by Piotr Socha, approached its subject holistically, this encyclopedia will leave readers with a rounded and respectful view of chickens. The folk art-style illustrations do more than accompany the text, often taking the form of diagrams, charts, and labeled scenes. Readers will get to know chickens inside and out, with science-based spreads tackling everything from molting to mating, comb to cloaca. Of equal interest are the descriptions of chickens as symbols (e.g., rooster-topped weathervanes) and as players in folktales. When it comes to keeping chickens, this book offers a big-picture view of what these birds need to be healthy and happy, but those serious about acquiring a hen or two will need additional literature on the topic. Endearingly dubbing chickens “irresistible companions,” this educational overview of all things chicken is bound to hatch some new enthusiasts. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 01/29/2021 Gr 4–6—This picture book aims to cover almost every aspect of chickens in the world, with whimsical illustrations that decorate and inform. Sandri and Giubbilini provide brief captions that are full of accessible information, which could spark further exploration. The text is well organized, with basic facts about physical features and development, chicken breeds and their features, raising chickens and maintaining their health, and mating rituals and reproduction. The text also describes their similarity to dinosaurs and compares their eggs to the eggs of other creatures, such as sharks. Abbreviated folklore stories and symbolism of chickens in history are included. A section on human interactions with chickens explains their popularity as pets and their therapeutic value. There is a lack of information on what to feed chickens, but there are pages on egg preparation, including how many minutes it takes to boil a soft- and a hard-boiled egg. The illustrations will attract younger readers, but the text is written with complex and compound sentences and vocabulary suited to the fourth- and fifth-grade reading level. As an introduction to chickens in a general sense, the readership will find it useful, but may desire more dense and complete information. Source material is not included. VERDICT Looks compelling, but selectors from large libraries will want to assess the need for this title as a springboard for a more complete study.—Nancy Call, formerly at Santa Cruz P.L., Aptos, CA - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
