Interrupting Chicken Series, Book 1

Three classic fairy tales are given a modern sensibility when Little Red Chicken interrupts her father's bedtime reading by inserting herself into the stories in order to save the day. Andrew Watts captures all the affection between father and chick and the tenderness of their bedtime routine. Watts lends a conversational tone to his narration and gives each character a distinctive voice, with the father sounding patient and playfully exasperated. Watts also excels at creating anticipation and conveying suspense. The final story, "Bedtime for Papa," has an ending that many families will relate to. Page-turn signals are clear and allow ample time for little ones to turn pages or make predictions. J.K.R. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from July 19, 2010
Stein's earlier books did not foretell an ability to pull off broad comedy, but this father-and-daughter bedtime banter is all the better for being a surprise. A little red chicken, lying in bed in her pajamas, can't help slamming on the brakes when Papa's read-aloud stories get too tense: "Out jumped a little red chicken," she cuts in as Papa reads Hansel and Gretel, "and she said, ‘DON'T GO IN! SHE'S A WITCH!' So Hansel and Gretel didn't. THE END!" Stein's spreads are thickly and energetically worked, the colors intense, and the lighting and shadows dramatic. For Papa's bedtime stories, Stein (Leaves) shifts styles, inking each scene in spindly ink; when the chicken interrupts, she bursts onto the sepia pages in full color. And when, after cutting short three of Papa's stories, she starts in on a tale of her own, Stein switches again to preschooler crayon, as her sleepy father interrupts in his own way. The delivery is Catskill perfect; readers will fall hard for the antics of this hapless pair. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)
G
unner, Football Hero
James E. Ransome
Holiday House, $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8234-2053-7
In the first half of this tale of an aspiring Pee Wee football star, Ransome (What Lincoln Said) has never been funnier or looser. From the very first page, in which the pear-shaped, beak-nosed Gunner strikes the famous Heisman pose and almost pulls it off through sheer force of personality, it's clear this is an unlikely hero worth knowing. But for all of Gunner's charisma, the third-string quarterback can't compensate for the story's saggy second half. Ransome's play by play of the big game, when Gunner finally gets a chance to play, feels almost clinical ("The running backs ran. Gunner passed, the receivers caught, and the offensive slowly moved down the field"). Although there are some stirring images of pigskin glory, especially a game-changing interception, there are also some striking disconnects between text and art. "Everyone on the Malden Tigers side of the field CHEERED!" shouts the narrator when Gunner throws a touchdown-scoring pass; meanwhile the crowd is shown sitting quietly, devoid of emotion. Readers will start out rooting for Gunner, but they may leave before the game is over. Ages 4–8.