Gladys the Magic Chicken
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- £4.49
Publisher Description
From the mega-bestselling author of Dragons Love Tacos and the mega-bestselling illustrator of The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors, comes this hilarious new picture book about an irresistible chicken who unexpectedly finds herself on an epic journey during Ancient Times.
Gladys the chicken must be magic. After all, for everyone who encounters her, a wish is granted. The Shepherd Boy wishes to be beautiful, the Brave Swordsman wishes to join the Royal Guard, the Purple Pooh-bah wishes for his only daughter to be happy, and the Learned Princess wishes to escape the palace. And one by one, each of these wishes comes true. But . . . is Gladys really magic? Or is everyone making their own fortune? Either way, it adds up to one heck of an adventure for a chicken named Gladys. Blending a classic storybook feel with a thoroughly modern sense of humor, this side-splitting read aloud is perfect for anyone who wishes to see magic in the world—even if they are only looking at a chicken.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gladys isn't really magic—she's just an ordinary chicken with orange feathers, a bright pink comb, startled eyes, and a tendency to "ploop" out an egg at opportune moments. But back in "Ancient Times"—a phrase seemingly portrayed in a Grecian font—those who find themselves in Gladys's company also seem to find their wishes fulfilled: from a gawky, tan-skinned shepherd who grows into a muscled hunk, to a cloistered brown-skinned princess who yearns for adventure and ends up on a pirate ship. So they celebrate Gladys's seeming powers in story and song ("Glaaaaadys the Maaaaagic Chickkkkcken,/ Abra-cock-a-doodle-dee-doo!"), and the myth grows, while the oblivious chicken hunts for her next worm. Rubin (High Five) and Rex (On Account of the Gum) fracture mythology left and right, with a performance-worthy, aside-heavy text and comically dramatic digital cartooning. Though the scrolls and temples and toga-wearing sometimes mix questionably with stereotypical portrayals in pursuit of "Ancient Times," Gladys's feathered manifestation of that very human desire to "see magic in the world" is nothing to cluck at. Ages 3–7. Author's agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM Partners. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.
