My Life as a Chicken

by Ellen A. Kelley and Michael Slack

Book Overview

When Pauline Poulet learns she'll be the next special of the day at Cock-a-Doodle-Doo Caf , she flies the coop faster than you can say "Chicken pie, delicious" Thus begins her journey of peril and catastrophe, courage and chance: She is chased. She is dunked. She is tossed tail over beak. But can Pauline escape the dinner plate? Kids everywhere will love clucking along with this chicken's battle cry: "Pauline, prevail "

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152053069
• ISBN13: 9780152053062
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 1.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 10.0" x 11.0"
• Age Range: 4 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

Favorite Children's Book of All Time

Perhaps no one appreciates an excellent picture book more than a parent who is forced to read it multiple times. That is why this book stands out, because even after countless reads I still find myself smiling right along with my toddler at the antics of this unfortunate poultry. This fabulous picture book details the adventures of Pauline Poulet, a brave chicken, as she struggles to save herself from becoming someone else's main course. The illustrations are beautiful, the writing is clever and catchy. I was very impressed by the authors ability to find just the perfect rhyme. My daughter especially loves to shout out "Pauline, Prevail!" along with the main character. I think this book is destined to become one of my gifts of choice for birthday parties of one or two year olds.

The best kids' book we've found

We've given copies of "My Life As A Chicken" to at least four children of friends of ours. Our daughter, now 15 months, all but grew up with it. The rhyming and rhythm are extraordinary, as are the stories the words tell. Then it's matched with incredible artwork, contrast-y and vivid and intriguing enough to draw the interest of any child. When our girl was 9 months, she'd had the book read to her countless times. Then we took her to a really hot spot, a foreign country where it was well into the 80s in on the evening of Christmas. She was a bit lost, a bit overwhelmed ... and simply reading the book back to her, from memory, was enough to do it. From memory? The rhythm of the book makes it so easy to memorize and have fun with. It's a great book to read aloud, and you can experiment with timing and emotion: "Hens away! Out the gate I must escape the dinner plate. Through brooding woods I scramble, prickly briared, bristly brambled ..." So, yes, my girl loves it. And I love reading it to her. If we can find more books even one-tenth as much fun as this, she'll have a lifelong love of reading.

My life a s a chicken

It was great. I bought several for my grandchildren and they love them. The pictures are very expressive.

Beautiful illustrations

Although the story is good, the artwork is amazing. Beautifully done textures and colors. My sisters each bought a copy for their children and it is unanimous - thumbs up all around.

The Perils of Pauline

'But round my roost I hear suspicious Words like Chicken Pie, Delicious . . . ' Pauline Poulet begins her autobiography as a typical chick, resigned to peep and peck and do what chickens do best: lay eggs. But one day, she spies The Farmer drooling over "101 Chicken Recipes" and knows he is contemplating murder most fowl. Now she must choose: be Plucky or Plucked. So with a brawk and a squawk, it's hens, away! Pauline flies the coop as fast as her tasty drumsticks will carry her. Life isn't easy, however, on the other side of the picket fence. In from-frying-pan-into-the-fire fashion, she faces a carton of bad eggs: snarling foxes, hungry hawks, even peg-legged pirates, all with omelets on their minds. But Pauline prevails, landing `wilted, wounded, weak of wing' in the arms of some very special rescuers. Award-winning poet Ellen Kelley has hatched a hilarious, heart-ful tale with rollicking rhythms, active alliterations, and a rhyming text that snaps and cackles and begs to be read aloud. Michael Slack's wacky illustrations (take a gander at Pauline's eye-lashed, egg-like eyes!) match the energy and excitement and kid-friendly humor that will have all the chickadees in your roost chuckling and clucking for more.