Parents' Guide to

Tough Chicks

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Feisty chicks assert their independence in sweet tale.

Book Cece Meng Picture Book 2009
Tough Chicks Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 4+

Based on 1 parent review

whitneyesson
whitneyesson Adult
December 2, 2012
age 4+

Be Yourself!

This is a great story for kids! It teaches the great lesson that it is O.K. to be different; to be yourself!

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

As soon as the 3 girl chicks are born, they are full of energy, independence, and adventure. The other chickens, the pig, and even the farmer, don't appreciate their antics and constantly tell Mama Hen to make her girls be "good." Mama Hen, however, stands by her "tough chicks" and, in the end, her belief in them pays off for everyone in the farmyard.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Besides having an irresistible title, this is an entertaining, upbeat story with an important message, both for kids and the parents who raise them. The girl chicks, and their mama, believe in themselves and each other, and though they get along with the other farmyard animals, they don't cave into criticism that may have forced weaker characters to conform.

It's also a story that is fun, and plainly told. The text is simple but includes enough dialogue and description to keep the tale moving while getting its point across. And, kids will like the colorful cartoon-like artwork that supplements the language with playfully energetic illustrations. Rounded and yellow, with little red feet that never stop moving and spiky little tufts of feathers, Polly, Molly, and Penny are three chicks who will definitely leave their mark on the world.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the things the 3 little chicks do while the other chicks are preening in the sun and pecking quietly. Which sounds like more fun? How do the other chickens react? Why do they tell Mama Hen to make her daughters be "good"? What do you think they meant by that? What happened when they tried to act like the other chicks in the farmyard? Can Penny, Polly, and Molly be "tough" and "good" at the same time?

Book Details

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