Mr. Watson's Chickens
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4.5 • 4 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Interrupting Chicken meets Click, Clack, Moo in this zany classic-in-the-making!
With rollicking rhythms, nonsensical refrains, and too many chickens to count, this modern classic will inspire unstoppable giggles and endless rereads. Bawka-bawka!
Mr. Watson has 456 chickens in the sink, on the bed, in the bread box. When his partner, Mr. Nelson, threatens to leave, Mr. Watson takes his chickens to town to sell only for them to escape! Young readers will follow Mr. Watson all around town as he gathers up his chickens. But, when they're all rounded up, does he have the heart to sell them? Does a different fate await these chickens?
This quirky, irresistible book is full of read-aloud fun with its onomatopoeia, rollicking rhythm, and familiar refrains and ends with a touch of sweetness. It has all the makings of a classic, with a farm theme, hilarious refrains, and a familiar narrative structure that unfolds in threes. Librarians, teachers, and parents looking for a new book that feels traditional will love sharing this book with children.
A JOY TO REREAD: This is a very classic-feeling storybook. Paired with its funny farm setting and hilarious refrains, this book is sure to inspire countless rereads and endless giggles.
PERFECT READ-ALOUD: This book is full of nonsensical sounds and repetition that make it fun to read out loud and invite audience participation. It's a perfect choice for classroom events and laptime reads.
LIKE CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM, WITH CHICKENS!: With its bouncy refrains and rollicking rhythms, this book will remind readers of classic bestsellers like Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.
REALISTIC RELATIONSHIP UNUSUAL IN PICTURE BOOKS: This book features a gay couple at its center, but doesn't call specific attention to it. It simply portrays a healthy relationship between two men (and their chickens!).
WRITTEN BY A NEW TALENT WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS KIDS: This is Jarret Dapier's first book! He's a popular, award-winning teen librarian who works with kids, knows what they like, and is well-versed in the rhythms of the classic children's book—and he has many more stories up his sleeves.
DELIGHTFUL, DETAILED DRAWINGS OF OVER 400 CHICKENS!: With hundreds of chickens to find and scenes crammed with action and detail, the pages of this book are chock-full of things to look at. Young readers will spend hours poring over each spread.
Perfect for: parents, families looking for LGBTQIA+ stories, fans of funny books
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Animals creating mayhem deliver rousing readalouds, and Dapier (Jazz for Lunch!) and Tsurumi (I'm on It!) here drive this story element to its riotous extreme. Mr. Watson and Mr. Nelson share a lime green "big, honking house with a teeny tiny yard in a big, honking city." Mr. Watson, who reads as white, keeps animals, and East Asian–appearing Mr. Nelson does the cooking. But when Mr. Watson's trio of chickens somehow rockets to 456, the flock takes over the household. Tsurumi conveys the chaos with several densely populated spreads featuring hundreds of chickens rehearsing dance routines, playing dress-up, and swinging from the chandeliers; meticulous draftsmanship makes the wonderfully frenetic activity both clear and absorbing. When red hen Aunt Agnes's incessantly repeated song ("Shooby-doo,/ wonky-pow,/ bawka-bawka/ in da chow-chow") starts to get under Mr. Nelson's skin, Mr. Watson is oblivious. Behind the lively comedy, there's a romantic relationship in trouble, until a tender embrace reveals that "Mr. Watson loved his chickens, but he loved Mr. Nelson more." Subtle background portraits of Tove Jansson as well as Frog and Toad gently hint at the history of queer creators in children's literature, while the carousing chickens draw most of the attention—and all of the laughs. Ages 3–5. Author's agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. Illustrator's agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House.
Customer Reviews
Super Cute
I read this book to my infant and my toddler nephews. Very creative and helps them exercise counting