The chicken´s child
By: Margaret A. Hartelius
Publisher: Scholastic Book Services, USA, 1975
Format: Paperback
Funny and touching
The chicken´s child is an oldie-but-goodie I stumbled upon when searching for books on crocodiles. The book is very old, and while it might not have the paper or printing quality we expect from modern children´s books, the level of creativity and humor are definitely up to par. The text on the back cover promises "a very funny book" - and the book does not disappoint.
The chicken (that looks more like a hen), finds an egg on the ground. The egg hatches, only to reveal a small crocodile baby instead of a fluffy little chick. The chicken looks pleasantly surprised and takes great care of the little fellow: She introduces him to the rest of the farm, teaches him to swim and makes sure he is safe and cozy at night. But the bigger the crocodile gets, the bigger is his appetite. The chicken is very patient with her green child, but when he, after eating everything else on the farm, eventually eats the tractor, the farmer clearly states that the crocodile has got to go. While chicken is sad about this, the fox lurking behind a tree is very happy...In a dramatic twist, the crocodile saves the chicken from being eaten by the fox and is welcomed back home where he belongs.
The book is drawn in only two colors, green and grey. Hartelius uses a technique often used in comics, where the characters are drawn with clear lines while the backgrounds are more realistic and detailed, a technique that was also common in Disney movies made in the sixties and seventies. It works really well for this story: it makes the characters pop and the story easy to follow. There is a lot of humor to be found both in the characters' actions, their facial expressions and their body language.
The chicken´s child is a simple and amusing story. But at the heart of the story lies some very sound life advice: Children should be accepted for who they are, especially the children who do not fit in the way we expect them to. A family has both room for, and need for, all of its members.
Margaret A. Hartelius was a graduate of Parsons School of Design and illustrated several children´s books and books on arts and crafts.
