Petra Mathers is actually a close family friend of ours and I am happy to say that I grew up with both her wonderful books AND her! We even have a beautiful collection of some of her original illustrations. There is a sense of humor to her books that just takes me away into a fantasy world that I want to live in forever. This book is no longer in print and very hard to find but the story is about a chicken named Maria Theresa who runs off to join the circus and all of the adventures that she has. It is a must-read for every child. ( )

Noteworthy illustrations