Chicken — Tricia Tusa

K-Gr 3 A misunderstanding precipitates a chicken's identity crisis in Tusa's witty picture book. Dooley Fenton III, Fran Moran's pet chicken and friend, believing that all who identify him as a chicken are labeling him a coward, actually becomes neurotically timid. After standing up for Fran, though, Dooley becomes his old self; Fran resolves his misunderstanding; and Dooley learns ``to see himself through his own eyes.'' Tusa's frenetic chicken-scratch pen line drawings with simple watercolor washes show Dooley as a chicken with character. The details of his life are absurdly funny, such as the chicken gracing the top of Fran's bonnet. Since the problem of overreacting to incomplete information is commonplace, children will understand Dooley's predicament and find reassurance in Fran's help in its resolutionas they cackle over the silliness in text and art. Although the small, light illustrations will preclude the book's use in large groups, Chicken will be a welcome choice for one-on-one sharing. David Gale, ``School Library Journal''