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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Enjoyed learning about chickens and deducing things from Sophie's letters. At times I thought the shift into fantasy could be a little confusing for students (I read the part about the raccoon/statue several times) Almost made me want to raise chickens.... And what about the character of Sue Griegson? Maybe it shows that someone is neither all good nor all bad, but it seemed a little confusing as well.
Wonderful. Delightful. Perfect. Handles heavy topics with a light touch. This book should be in every elementary school's library.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Incredibly fun book that keeps you wanting to turn the page to find out what happens next, which also normalizes and processes hard topics like death, financial insecurity, racism, microaggressions, moving, and more. Thoroughly enjoyable, and also a great window for us. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Racism, Grief
Written in letters to a deceased grandmother, uncle and one (alive?) chicken supplies distributer this book is stellar! Never sentimental and a true fish out of water this little girl forges a new path for herself and some very special chickens. Highly recommended!
I 90% loved this book and 10% want to know what the story is with Ms. Greigson.
I don't know why I loved it but I did. The randomness of the chickens really cracked me up. I can't wait to read the sequel.
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
What a great title. The story comes at you by way of letters to various people from Sophie, who just moved to a farm. I thought it was good. Not best for a read out loud book but worth it.
What makes a chicken unusual? As chickens with apparent superpowers appear on the farm her family has inherited, Sophie Brown begins wondering just how these chickens became so unusual. With her parents distracted by their move to the farm, her father’s recent job loss, and her mother’s freelance writing career, Sophie focuses on learning to care for her new charges. The mystery of the chickens deepens, though, when a neighbor attempts to steal Sophie’s unusual pets.
Sophie tells her story through (mostly) one-sided correspondence to a chicken supply company and two late relatives, including her abuelita and Great-Uncle Jim, previous owner of the farm. Through her letters to these people who may or may not respond to her, Sophie explores her grief over the loss of her grandmother, her struggles moving to a new place, the difficulty of being one of the few “brown people” in her new town, and her discovery of the true nature of her unusual chickens. Young readers, particularly those from third to fifth grade, will enjoy this book as an introduction to the genre of epistolary novel while also becoming intrigued by the prospect of raising chickens. With heartfelt letters, detailed full-page descriptions of different chicken breeds, chicken care correspondence lessons, charming black-and-white illustrations, and even a little mystery, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer is a delightful and informative novel for a young reader.
Sophie tells her story through (mostly) one-sided correspondence to a chicken supply company and two late relatives, including her abuelita and Great-Uncle Jim, previous owner of the farm. Through her letters to these people who may or may not respond to her, Sophie explores her grief over the loss of her grandmother, her struggles moving to a new place, the difficulty of being one of the few “brown people” in her new town, and her discovery of the true nature of her unusual chickens. Young readers, particularly those from third to fifth grade, will enjoy this book as an introduction to the genre of epistolary novel while also becoming intrigued by the prospect of raising chickens. With heartfelt letters, detailed full-page descriptions of different chicken breeds, chicken care correspondence lessons, charming black-and-white illustrations, and even a little mystery, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer is a delightful and informative novel for a young reader.
Read aloud. This was cute and a fast read. It was somewhat educational, though certainly not a deep dive, re: the types and care of chickens. (I mention this as a bonus, as the book is about more than this.) Additionally, it features an interracial couple and their daughter and does not shy from discussing the way people in the community perceive them, which is usually with confusion. There is casual mention of a same-sex couple near the end of the book, which I loved, as it helps to normalize such relationships. Female characters in the book were strong and capable!