Who Knew Chickens Liked Bedtime Stories, Too?

Interrupting Chicken

Written and Illustrated by David Ezra Stein

So yesterday I posted about how I want to read more in preparation for September’s Brooklyn Book Festival.  I started August by reading this adorable book by David Ezra Stein. 

Full disclosure: I've met Stein, who is the brother of one of my very good friends. This didn't cause me to read or think about the book differently, but I certainly did pick it up because of who the author/illustrator was. 

Okay, now, on to the book.

It is SOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE! I do not have children. I have one 5 year old nephew, and one newborn nephew. Both live in other states. I want to scoop them up and read this to them. Well, to the five year old. It may be a *bit* advanced for the tiny baby.

The idea is that Papa Chicken is reading classic stories to Little Red Chicken so that she'll fall asleep. This is not the first time Little Red Chicken has heard these stories. In fact, she knows them by heart - but that doesn't mean she likes how they end.

Little Red Chicken wants to rescue Hansel and Gretel from the evil witch. She wants to tell Chicken Little the sky isn't actually falling.

I love how Stein injects Little Red Chicken into the classic tales. Here's an example, where she jumps into the pages. The story-in-a-story characters are shocked to see this colorful chicken invading their lives.

Unfortunately, her interrupting means that those stories ends rather quickly. Her Papa is flummoxed as to how to get her to fall asleep. Will she ever go to bed???

I confess - I yell at the television. "No, don't do that! What are you doing? That's no good!" Like somehow the characters can hear me and will respond. I identified with Little Red Chicken, and I suspect I may not be the only one.

Oh, and did I mention that this is a 2011 Caldecott Honor book? Congrats David!