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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
(4 1/2 stars)
I loved this book! Sophie and her parents have just moved from Los Angeles to her Great-Uncle Jim's farm in the country. Her father lost his job, and the inheritance of the farm is a life-saver for them. It is a big change for Sophie though, to leave her cousins and friends in the city. She is alone on the farm a great deal, while her father looks for a job and her mother works as a journalist. She finds one of Great Uncle Jim's chickens that had scattered after his death, and throws herself into learning about how to care for chickens. As she slowly gathers the flock back together, she also gains confidence and makes friends in her new community. Told entirely in letters, this story will immediately draw readers in, and may make them want to raise some unusual chickens of their own. Highly recommended for grades 3-6.
I loved this book! Sophie and her parents have just moved from Los Angeles to her Great-Uncle Jim's farm in the country. Her father lost his job, and the inheritance of the farm is a life-saver for them. It is a big change for Sophie though, to leave her cousins and friends in the city. She is alone on the farm a great deal, while her father looks for a job and her mother works as a journalist. She finds one of Great Uncle Jim's chickens that had scattered after his death, and throws herself into learning about how to care for chickens. As she slowly gathers the flock back together, she also gains confidence and makes friends in her new community. Told entirely in letters, this story will immediately draw readers in, and may make them want to raise some unusual chickens of their own. Highly recommended for grades 3-6.
Sweet book. Loved the illustrations! As a former chicken owner, I liked the chickens so much. I also enjoyed the epistolary structure. It felt a little heavy handed at times.
This is an absolutely charming middle-grade novel about Sophie Brown, a 12-year-old girl who is uprooted from her urban life in Los Angeles and must find her way in rural California as her parents take over the farm bequeathed to them by Sophie's Great-Uncle Jim. Challenges abound: Sophie is mixed-race, and has learned to handle people who are suspicious of her because of her skin colour, or who assume she can't speak English; she is totally out of her element and has to learn how to live a whole new way in an unfamiliar community; her parents are struggling financially and can't offer her a ton of support. The novel is told in letters, which Sophie writes to her late Abuela, Great-Uncle Jim, and Agnes, the proprietor of a farm supply company that specializes in "unusual chickens." Sophie thinks the farm is boring without animals and she would like to learn about keeping chickens, but then she discovers that the farm already has a chicken, one with unusual powers (she can levitate, and can open any lock with the power of her mind). Soon, other chickens begin to appear. And, Sophie learns, these unusual chickens are coveted by a local poultry farmer who is using unethical means to acquire Great-Uncle Jim's chickens. Agnes cautions Sophie not to give any of the chickens away, so she has to figure out a way to safeguard her flock. Sophie is a resilient, smart, resourceful kid, but she is also shy, and uncomfortable meeting and talking to new people. As the story unfolds, all of those qualities are revealed, and may be useful for Sophie in resolving her tricky situation. Totally great story, which I intend to give to my friend who keeps chickens! I've already reserved the sequel at the library.
This was an original and amusing book. The only reason it didn't get five stars was because it dragged a TINY bit for me toward the end.
Read for librarian book group.
Very fun middle reader about the new girl town, if "town" is her deceased great uncle's farm. There, she comes across a catalog "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" and strange things begin to happen. Told in letters written to the company, her dead grandmother and dead great Uncle, this is a fun and funny story.
Very fun middle reader about the new girl town, if "town" is her deceased great uncle's farm. There, she comes across a catalog "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" and strange things begin to happen. Told in letters written to the company, her dead grandmother and dead great Uncle, this is a fun and funny story.
I was hooked by the title, and totally charmed by the time I read this line from the second letter:
"I know you're dead, and I don't believe in zombies, so you don't need to write back or anything."
Sophie is curious, smart, enterprising, responsible and independent (but still very concerned with honesty + obeying her parents.) In short, she's exactly the kind of person I wish I was. ;) Plus, there's the constant and hilarious visual of chickens using superpowers, which kept me entertained until the end.
But seriously, this book is adorable and it was a great "first book" of 2016.
"I know you're dead, and I don't believe in zombies, so you don't need to write back or anything."
Sophie is curious, smart, enterprising, responsible and independent (but still very concerned with honesty + obeying her parents.) In short, she's exactly the kind of person I wish I was. ;) Plus, there's the constant and hilarious visual of chickens using superpowers, which kept me entertained until the end.
But seriously, this book is adorable and it was a great "first book" of 2016.
Unusual indeed. A humorous mix of chicken info and fantasy.
Sophie's dad inherits his uncle's farm and she finds a chicken and coop among lots of junk. Then another chicken shows up, then vanishes. Huh? Turns out uncle Jim's chickens were VERY unusual: they each have a unique superpower.
Woman keeps trying to steal them, why? Why is chicken supply company rep, Agnes, so slow to reply, And why are her letters typed so badly?
It all becomes clear eventually, after Sophie ( and the reader) learns a lot about chickens (usual and un) makes some new friends and stands up to the thief.
BTW Sophie's mom is Hispanic, so people think sophie and her mom are farm workers, or that sophie's dad adopted her. A few recurring events.
Sophie's dad inherits his uncle's farm and she finds a chicken and coop among lots of junk. Then another chicken shows up, then vanishes. Huh? Turns out uncle Jim's chickens were VERY unusual: they each have a unique superpower.
Woman keeps trying to steal them, why? Why is chicken supply company rep, Agnes, so slow to reply, And why are her letters typed so badly?
It all becomes clear eventually, after Sophie ( and the reader) learns a lot about chickens (usual and un) makes some new friends and stands up to the thief.
BTW Sophie's mom is Hispanic, so people think sophie and her mom are farm workers, or that sophie's dad adopted her. A few recurring events.
Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.