Chicken Lily

When quiet, careful Lily discovers she’s expected to participate in a poetry jam at school, she’s terrified. But with the encouragement of her friends and through her own determination, she discovers poems are like puzzles and something she can figure out. Chicken Lily the book mirrors Chicken Lily the character: it mostly plays it safe but provides genuine pleasure to others when it stretches to do something unique and original. With a fairly simple topic, a predictable storyline, and pleasant illustrations, it would be well on its way to becoming nothing more than a good option to bring out occasionally for discussions about overcoming fears. However, by trying something a little new, the book becomes more noteworthy: it shines when it comes to clever puns. These witty inclusions—from Lily’s friends’ fitting lunch selections (Baabette the sheep is, of course, having shepherd’s pie, while Pigsley opts for a sloppy joe), to the inclusion of a bouquet of carrots on Mrs. Lop’s desk, to Lily’s to-do list with various cultural poultry references—add pizzazz and a layer of humor that older readers will enjoy as much as younger. Astute observers will notice that Lily does not actually overcome her fear of participating in the poetry slam; rather, despite her fear, she perseveres through sheer willpower. They’ll also see Lily’s growth cleverly demonstrated throughout the story, not just through the text, but also through the illustrations, where Lily moves from a 24 to a 500 piece puzzle and loses her training wheels by the end of the book!