Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cuteness, silliness, not much plot in Chicken Squad sequel.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
The long-suffering rescue dog J.J. Tully introduces the Chicken Squad and tells us how they're always getting in trouble, from which J.J. often has to save them. This time, they've just advertised their services all around the barnyard when along comes their first customer (whom everyone but the Squad will immediately recognize as a blue jay). Soon the fuzzy siblings are trying to find a missing house and evict an unwelcome visitor, tasks made no easier by many silly communication problems.
Is It Any Good?
Fans of the first misadventure in the Chicken Squad series and The Trouble with Chickens will enjoy THE CASE OF THE WEIRD BLUE CHICKEN. Those reading aloud will love the opportunities for comic character voices and sound effects. Kevin Cornell's funny illustrations bring the characters to life. Many kids will have plenty of chances to outsmart the silly chickens as the mystery unfurls, and lots of ridiculous antics along the way keep things entertaining. But all this distraction can't disguise the slightness of the plot, and the resolution will have quite a few readers wondering, "That's it?"
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the siblings in the Chicken Squad. Do they behave like any kids you know?
Have you read any of Doreen Cronin's other books? Do you like stories about animals doing things (like solving mysteries) that we expect humans to do? What do you like about them? What are some of your favorites?
If you had to deal with someone who'd moved into your house and wouldn't let you in, what would you do?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Kevin Cornell
- Genre : For Beginning Readers
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , Animals
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Atheneum
- Publication date : September 30, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 7 - 10
- Number of pages : 112
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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