The Case of the Weird Blue Chicken: The Next Misadventure
Cuteness, silliness, not much plot in Chicken Squad sequel.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Case of the Weird Blue Chicken is the second installment in bestselling author Doreen Cronin's series about the fuzzy, troublemaking Chicken Squad, with a cameo appearance by retired search-and-rescue dog J.J. Tully. The good news: Not much is problematic, and there are a few gentle lessons about kindness and sharing. The bad news: Kevin Cornell's funny illustrations and endless silliness can't disguise the fact that there's not much of a plot or much sense of resolution once the "mystery" is solved. This just isn't one of the strongest books featuring the chickens, though it's fine for short-term amusement.
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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: Doreen Cronin
- Illustrator: Kevin Cornell
- Genre: For Beginning Readers
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Horses and Farm 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, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: August 2, 2021
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