Need a book that will help guide and smooth out the “learning to read” process? A book that’s fun, a-bawk! with chickens, and a fox with a misunderstood motive? You can get both in one package with How to Hatch a Reader!
And if you have chicks at home who are either eager or reluctant to read, this story should help address both ends of the spectrum and all those in between.
Between the chicken puns, a sneaky fox who hovers on the periphery, and jokes sprinkled throughout that send the chickens into a bawking tizzy, kids will be engaged and ready to say the refrain, “Sorry, chickens!” right from the first read aloud.
Key components of learning to read are demonstrated sequentially in the story, but there’s also a page of back matter explaining the process to parents and caregivers, along with additional resources. A great resource for home or classroom, and a fun book to enjoy because—b-a-w-k!!! Chickens!!
Rachel Suzanne’s bright, playful illustrations are a terrific complement to the playfulness of the text. And I absolutely adore the Silkie, one of the chickens featured. It’s rocking out on the Funky Chickens spread.
Activities:
Pair this book with Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black, illus. by Kevin Hawkes. Learn to read all sorts of words for animal posteriors.
Make origami chickens and an origami fox.
Create a special “book nook” in your room or somewhere else in your house. Make sure it has a pillow or blanket, a big stack of picture books, and a stuffy or two. You can read to your stuffies instead of chickens. Or, if you have a pet, you can read to them, too!
Title: How to Hatch a Reader
Author: Kari Ann Gonzalez
Illustrator: Rachel Suzanne
Publisher: Gnome Road Publishing, 2023
Themes: chickens, learning to read
Ages: 4-8
For more perfect picture book recommendations, please visit Susanna Hill’s website.
I loved hearing this one read aloud! An egg-cellent choice for new & reluctant readers!
Bawk! Yes!
This sounds like a great one! Kids think chickens are so funny for some reason.
Ha! Yes! I think it’s because they make funny sounds and often act curious yet skittish.
Great choice, or should I say, eggsellent?
heh heh…there are so many fabulous chicken jokes! And Kari has them all in this book!
Great activities, Jilanne! And I agree that Kari made this such a punny book!
Thanks, Maria! I think between this book and her upcoming How to Hatch a Writer, Kari’s cornered the market on chicken jokes! I recall loving puns as a kid, and I think kids will want to read these repeatedly.