Happy New Year: 2017 Chinese Year of the Rooster - Favourite ‘Kids Lit Chicks!’

This Saturday (28th January) sees the Luna and Chinese New year, and the move from the year of the Monkey to the year of the Rooster. So we thought we’d celebrate this by sharing our favourite ‘Kids Lit Chicks!’ So here they are; some choices may controversial; the lack of Rosie from Rosie’s walk or the hens from Dick King Smith's ‘The Fox Busters’ may ruffle some feathers, but we love the capers of these feathery fowl and think you will too…

Nicki’s Favourite Literary Fowls …

My best rooster in fiction award goes hands down to Professor Rooster in Chicken Mission: Danger in the Deep Dark Woods, by Jennifer Gray, part of the Chicken Mission Series. This story about ninja-training for chickens is action-packed, funny and a bit bonkers, plus is great for adults reading with their children as they will appreciate all the wonderful puns. Hooray for Kung-Fu Poultry (KFP).

Another of my favourite fowl is Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, I love this series for many reasons, but perhaps mostly because I can’t think of many series which focus on the villain – in this case a twelve-year-old child prodigy millionaire who not only believes in fairies, but that they truly have gold and he plans to steal it.

Fowl kidnaps Holly Short, but she is a special agent and more than a match for the boy, aided by his Butler, who thinks he has thought of everything. This is a great fantasy series, high on gadgetry and smart dialogue and characters that develop over the series showing that being an evil genius is not an easy road to riches. And it’s very funny too.

Both books are great reads for kids up to teen.

Sally Favourite Literary Chickens…

To quote one of the most misunderstood poets of all time William McGonagall, ‘The chicken is a noble beast,’ and I concur completely so narrowing down my favourite Kid’s Lit Chicks was not easy, (although Mr McGonagall kind of took away the compliment by comparing it to a cow which; stands in the pouring rain with a leg in every corner.) however I did manage to narrow the list down to two...

My first choice goes to the fabulously mean Super Evil Chicken from, Emer Stamp’s ‘The Unbelievable Top Secret Diary of Pig.’ Super Evil Chicken is the nemesis of both the Pig diarist and his best friend Duck, but this chicken and his brood of other evil chicken comrades, are more than merely mean; pooing on cow and eating Pig’s slop! No The Evil Chicken’s hatch a plan; fashioning a rocket out of an old tractor, and convince Pig to fly the ‘Trocket’ to Pluto. Super Evil Chicken is the most evil and wicked of all of Pig’s feather foes, and pig soon discovers to his peril, that sometimes first impressions are the correct ones. 

‘The Unbelievable Top Secret Diary of Pig’ is perfect for early readers, but funny enough to appeal to children young and old.


But my all-time favourite Chicken is, Kureno Sohma from Natsuki Takaya’s, Shojo Manga; Fruits Basket. The story follows homeless orphan Tohru as she befriends the mysterious wealthy and beautiful Sohma family, discovering their secret curse. Collectively called ‘The Zodiac’, the Sohma’s curse causes some of its members to change from humans into the animals from the Chinese’s zodiac (and a cat with a grudge), when they are poorly or are embraced by someone of the opposite sex. As Tohru’s life becomes more entwined with the Shoma’s, she realises that there is more to the curse than metamorphosis; uncovering a dark cruelty, and starting her on a quest to free the family from their curse.

Kureno is the Sohma family Rooster, he’s aloof, endearingly clumsy, self-scarifying and loyal to a fault. Despite being the cursed member of the Sohma zodiac that the reader sees the least of in the books, he is beautifully empathetic and exquisitely flawed, making it impossible not to love him. But Kureno has a secret and when it is revealed, it soon becomes apparent that it may mark the beginning of the end for the Sohma curse.

Fruits Basket is a great read for young adults 13+.

Thank you for stopping by, we'd love you too hear what your favourite Kids Lit Chicks are, so please comment and let us know!

The Fish in the Bathtub by Eoin Colfer - Barrington Stoke Review

In support of National Dyslexia Awareness week, here is another review of one of out favourite Barrington Stoke Titles of the year. Apologies in advance, as it is a Christmas story, (but is November so it is only a tad early!)

Barrington Stoke are fanatically good at working with bestselling authors, the author of The Fish in the Bathtub is no exception as it is the wonderfully talented (can you tell I’m a fan?) Mr ‘Artemis Fowl,’ Eoin Colfer .

The Fish in the Bathtub, is a heart-warming festive yarn which tells the story of eight year old Lucja who is preparing to celebrate Christmas with her Mum and Grandpa, in their humble flat in Warsaw.

The story is crafted to show cultural differences between the Christmas experiences of children who live in different parts of the world. It is the story of Christmas in a communist state, where freedom of choice is restricted and even what you can for your festive dinner is dictated. When Lucja’s Grandpa decides he wants to eat carp for his Christmas Eve meal in a personal stance of defiance, he sources the fish from the black market.

The surprise comes when the carp is delivered in a bucket and still very much alive. The carp quickly becomes a resident in the bathtub in the days before Christmas and the lonely Lucja becomes attached to it as she befriends the fish. As Christmas approached Lucja’s bond with Mister Carp grows and her confidence and happiness blooms. With Grandpa so determined to make a stand, will his love for his granddaughter soften him enough to spare the fish’s life, and stop him from inadvertently imitating the acts of the compressors that he despises so much?

Colfer has told a gentle and compelling tale, which tackles complex issues, yet manages to present them in a way that is obtainable to the young audience. The fish in the Bathtub, is a lovely story with serious themes and positive messages about love and family, getting to the heart of the Christmas spirit. This in combination with the charming illustrations by Peter Baily is a real festive treat.

Tomorrow, we are concluding our Dyslexia Awareness Week posts with a special review and interview and GIVEAWAY. please pop back tomorrow to find out more!