CHICKEN!

Nope, not nuggets.  And not the flinching game.  This post is hereby dedicated to our new family favorite picture book: Interrupting Chicken, written by David Ezra Stein (2010).

This is one of those magical children's books that is as entertaining for the adults reading it as it is for the children for which it was designed.  All four of my kids (3,5,8 and 12) think it's a riot.  Their parents agree.

Little Red Chicken's Papa just wants to read a story and get his dear sweet chicken to fall asleep.  Who among us can't relate to that?  But as the title suggests, his wee one LOVES to interrupt.  Every time Papa starts to read a classic tale (Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, and of course, Chicken Little), his darling interrupts and spoils the story.  "Don't go in!  She's a witch!  She'll eat you!".  Every time, Little Red Chicken PROMISES not to interrupt again, but every time, she finds the opportunity too tough to resist.

They finally compromise when Papa wisely asks Little Red Chicken to tell HIM a story.  The result is both clever and sweet, but I'll let you read that part yourself.  No spoliers here.

The illustrations remind me of The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza (another absolute favorite).  This book is a quick read with engaging pictures and a playful dialogue.  My three year old had Little Red Chicken's lines memorized after hearing the book twice.  But then again, she was made for the part.