Genre
Picture books for children
Tone
Amusing
Writing Style
Lyrical
Illustration
Colorful
Subject
Chickens
Cleverness in animals
Courage
Dogs
Gardens
Character
Courageous

Summary: Mama hen and her three little chicks were headed to the garden to eat their favorite food, beans and potato bugs. As they march in line across the yard little chick is lagging behind looking at the bugs, leaves and other things that are catching her attention. When the mama hen and her chicks get across the yard they run into a big dog tied to the tree
and he will not let the hen and little chicks pass him to the garden. The dog is barking at them as they are trying to get to the garden. Middle chick tries to get by the dog, but the dog get's closer to getting her. But little chick thinks she can get by. She runs up to the dog, and starts running around the tree with the dog chasing after her. But as the dog is chasing little chick his is being rapped tighter to the tree, then mama hen and little chicks go into the garden and eat their favorite foods beans, potatoes and bugs.

Personal reaction: this was a fun book to read, and it kept me wondering what was going to happen to mama hen and her little chicks. This would be a good book to read to any age child the colors and excitement is a winner!

Extension: I would use this book for a class theme on farm animals, as well as using it to do a song like tippy-top chicks!

Fantasy

Mama Hen and her three little chicks are heading to the garden for breakfast just as they do every day, when they find a nasty surprise: a big scary dog lies between them and the garden! Mama Hen is ready to give up and wait for chicken feed (blech!) but her chicks aren't so fast to retreat, especially Little Chick. What chance does Little Chick have against a big dog though? Plenty when she puts her mind to it!

While the text doesn't rhyme or have strict rhythm throughout, there is an internally rhythmic feel to it that makes it fun to read aloud. Kids loved the barking of the dog and will be happy to join you both with the barking and the tippy-toe refrain (which I said in a teeny-tiny voice), but make sure your dog barking isn't too scary as tolerance for that will vary from audience to audience; I definitely saw a difference between toddlers and preschool, but I suspect familiarity with dogs may be a bigger factor. The fact that the smallest chick solves the problem when older siblings and even mom couldn't figure out how to get past the dog will suit young listeners to a T. Laura Dronzek's acrylic illustrations are bright, cheerful and despite only using a few lines, her chicken faces are very expressive. The layouts are varied, with some spreads being full-bleed while others feature spot art and yet others have framed scenes, although the frames don't always hold all the action, sometimes the characters break right out of the frame. This was an excellent choice for preschool, but I'd only use it for toddlers as a first book and if all the rest of my books were shorter.

Used for Chickens on the Loose Storytime - Terrific Ts and Preschool 2/2/2010. ( )

It always the chick's mother, the hen, who lead the family find food. One day the dog was on the way and stop them from getting their treat. All other family's member take turn to solve the dog's problem. Only little chick through his courange and clever able to handle the dog by trick him run around the tree and get wrap up by his own rope. ( )

Chicks can not get to their favorite garden to eat because there is a dog guarding it, but the littlest chick outsmarts the dog. ( )