Busy-Busy Little Chick

December 17, 2012
In a Central African tale that turns the story of the Little Red Hen upside down, an affectionate chicken mother fails to build her children a better house, and one of her chicks must do it instead. “Peo-peo,” the chicks cry. “We’re chilly-cold.” Mama Nsoso promises to build them a new house, an ilombe, but is waylaid by “crunchy-munchy, sweety-meaty, big fat worms” and a succession of other treats. Meanwhile, Little Chick gathers grass and twigs “tee-tee-tee” (the glossary explains that this term describes “action that goes on and on”), making a house that delights the chicks and makes Mama Nsoso proud. Pinkney (Sit-In) concentrates on the chunky chickens rather than the African landscape. Using brushes loaded with
color, he paints them broadly, drawing Mama Nsoso and her chicks with fat, black ink lines and swashing them with intense reds, oranges, and yellows. Harrington’s (Roberto Walks Home) storytelling background and careful investigation of African sources can be seen in the multitude of sound words and Lonkundo vocabulary she includes. Watching Little Chick succeed where his parent has stumbled will thrill young readers. Ages 3–6. Illustrator’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

January 15, 2013
Based on a fable of the Nkundo people of Central Africa, this compelling tale brings home the message that if you want something done right--or at all--sometimes you have to do it yourself. Mama Nsoso's shivering chicks are in desperate need of a new home. Though Mama promises to build them a cozy one that will keep the wind, rain and cold at bay, each day she is distracted by something delicious to eat, and each night the disappointed chicks cry with cold. Except, that is, for the persistent, industrious Little Chick, who, exhausted from working alone and in secret on a new nest for the family, falls right asleep. When the nest is ready, Little Chick invites his brothers and sisters in for a good night's rest. The tale incorporates non-English words and sounds without any context or framing device, and readers must locate the author's note and glossary on the final page to discover that these words are from the language of the Nkundo people, who are the original tellers of this tale. To further complicate matters, while Pinkney's vibrant, energetically loose illustrations lovingly and skillfully render Mama and her chicks, they give almost no indication of setting. Potential confusion aside, this well-told and beautifully illustrated offering makes a distinctive addition to folklore collections. (author's note, glossary) (Picture book/folktale. 4-8)

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February 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 2-This story is adapted from a fable told by the Nkundo people of Central Africa, and it evokes a storytelling style through vocabulary and rhythm. Mama Nsoso's chicks complain of the cold each night, and the hen promises to build a new ilombe, a sturdy house. Each morning, however, she gets distracted by tasty treats. Undeterred, Little Chick gathers twigs, leaves, grass, and mud and constructs the ilombe himself. Mama clucks with pride, and the chick finally gets a snack. Bright paintings are loose and full of movement. A curly font highlights the text when the chickens find food. The informal pictures work well with the intimate feel of the text. Children will applaud the success of Little Chick and his mother's pride in him. A good addition to units on fables, farm animals, or African culture, and an enjoyable story in general.-Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2013
Preschool-G In this retelling of a central African folktale, Mama Nsoso's baby chicks complain that they are cold and damp in their nest every night. Mama assures them that they'll get to work building a more sturdy ilombe, but when the new day dawns, the whole family is distracted by the wandering meals of worms and crickets. The whole family, that is, except Little Chick, who collects crucial materials and eventually provides the distractible family with the building blocks they need to build a warm home. The repetitive narrative will appeal to younger children, who like to see what's coming and will appreciate that the youngest character is the hero. Pinkney provides impressionistic swirls of color that bleed out of the figures of Mama Nsoso and her baby chicks, washing into backgrounds and giving a toasty warmth, as well as a mystical timelessness, to the story that will invite kids to browse through it independently. Mellifluous African words (defined in a short glossary) further perk up the telling, and an author's note fills in source information.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)