Review - Catch That Chicken!

Catch That Chicken!
by Atinuke
illustrated by Angela Brooksbank
Date: 2020
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

The team behind Baby Goes to Market and B Is for Baby visit a Nigerian village for a humorous ode to childhood ingenuity.

Lami is the best chicken catcher in the whole village. Her sister may be speedy at spelling, her friend fast at braiding hair, and her brother brave with bulls, but when it comes to chickens, nobody is faster or braver than Lami. That is, until the day when Lami chases a little too fast, up the baobab tree, and reaches a little too far…ow! How can she catch chickens with an ankle that’s puffed up like an angry lizard? Could it be, as Nana Nadia says, that quick thinking is more important than quick running? Award-winning author Atinuke celebrates Nigerian village life in a story vibrantly illustrated by Angela Brooksbank with a universal message at its heart.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a story about a little girl in a Nigerian village who's great at catching chickens.

I'm not really sure what else to say about it. It's a simple story, highlighting the girl's skill at catching chickens (until she falls out of a tree and sprains her ankle). I'm not a fan of the way crying was discouraged (after all, the kid was hurt), but that may be a cultural thing. The illustrations are cute and depict the bustling village and all of Lami's friends and relatives.

Those looking for picture books set in other countries might want to check this one out. It's a very simple story, though, probably best suited to younger readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5