Cluck, Cluck, Cluck ... Splash! — Donald W. Kruse

A little boy wants to teach his pet chicken how to dive. The chicken is one smart cookie and he knows how to swim, but he just can't get a handle on the diving part. With the boy's unfailing encouragement, again and again the chicken climbs up the ladder to the high dive, takes a deep breath, then utters "Cluck, cluck, cluck," then attempts to dive into the pool. But time after time, the chicken's dive ends up as a belly flop. How discouraging is that? After several of these failed attempts, the average person (or chicken) would simply give up and move on to a lesser challenge. But not this chicken. No, sir, no way. This chicken, backed by the boy's unceasing encouragement, keeps at it. And he keeps failing. But then a little girl named Betsy-Sue happens by and offers this sage advice: "Don't look down!" Bingo! That advice, along with the boy's unwavering encouragement and the chicken's indomitable spirit, was all it took for the chicken to finally perform the perfect dive. This story, told in verse and enhanced with fantastic, full-color illustrations by Donny Crank, will delight readers and listeners ages 4 and up. And its message is loud and clear: "Never, never, never give up!" Includes an inspirational foreword by comedian Marty Allen.