PRESCHOOL
Atinuke,

Catch That Chicken!

(2) PS Illustrated by Angela Brooksbank. Young Lami, who lives in a bustling multifamily compound, is known as "the best chicken catcher in the village." Spare, rhythmic prose full of repetition and alliteration details her skills ("Lami leans! Lami lunges! Lami leaps!") and others' encouragement of her ("Catch that chicken!"). When one speedy creature evades her grasp, it leads to a humorously disruptive chase--through a bull's pen, around a clothesline, and past a group of schoolchildren--and Lami ends up injuring her ankle. Temporarily sidelined, she listens to Nana Nadia, who tells her that catching chickens is about smarts, not speed--and she's able to accomplish her goal, injury and all. Humorous and colorful mixed-media illustrations depict a tightknit community, with entertaining details about how Lami's poultry obsession plays out in daily life; even while getting her hair braided, for example, she lunges for a chicken passing by. A thoughtful mix of double-page spreads, single pages, and occasional panel-style illustrations allows for quicker or slower pacing throughout. Lively chase scenes and funny ­poultry antics make for a laugh-out-loud ­adventure.

RELATED 

Get connected. Join our global community of more than 200,000 librarians and educators.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?