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16th out of 82 books
—
165 voters
Blue Chicken
by
Deborah Freedman (Goodreads Author)
In this deceptively simple picture book, author-illustrator Deborah Freedman has created an irresistible character that springs to life and wreaks havoc in a farmyard with a pot of blue paint. The innocent chicken just wants to help, but things get worse and worse-and bluer and bluer--the more she tries. Playing with colors and perspective, and using minimal text, this ric...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
September 15th 2011
by Viking Juvenile
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For me, the illustrations are everything for this book. I love them! They are adorable, clever, talented, humorous, and detailed enough to keep a child (toddler and up) quite entertained in a lap-read or read-alone. In a storytime (probably for preschool age), if the kids can see you could have them tell you what they observe in the pictures.
Very fun story, and I love it when there is much more than what is being said.
10/17/12 I really wanted to try this in a storytime, just to see. But I don't...more
Very fun story, and I love it when there is much more than what is being said.
10/17/12 I really wanted to try this in a storytime, just to see. But I don't...more
This is a charming little book. I think this should have been the 2012 Caldecott Winner, or at least an honor book. It is the story of an unfinished farm picture, which includes a cow,a cat, ducks and of course chickens. It is time to finish the picture and a little chicken wants to help! So, she crawls out of the drawing and to the blue paint but instead of helping she tips over the paint and spills it! Now everything is blue! How can she undo the blue? Then she has an idea, the water cup! Now...more
Adorable merging of print and real life! The story begins as a picture of a barn scene is begin painted by an unseen artist. The brown chicken coop is complete along with the chicks and chickens. The artist is going to work on the barn now. One curious chicken eyeballs the blue paint, hops off the painting and decides to 'help' paint the picture. She ends up spilling the blue paint all over the pages and everything becomes a blue watercolored mess!
Goodness that little chicken has caused havic a...more
Goodness that little chicken has caused havic a...more
This is such a delightfully, fun, creative read. I love the way Deborah brings her story to life through her paintings. By creating a story that is centered on a painting and then bringing that painting to life within the story is both clever and engaging. It's also unique, as there aren't many children's books I've read that have done this.
Blue Chicken is a story who's illustrations tell most of the story. When a curiously little chicken decides to scamper out of the drawing and over to the ja...more
Blue Chicken is a story who's illustrations tell most of the story. When a curiously little chicken decides to scamper out of the drawing and over to the ja...more
In this clever book that combines the idea of mischievious chickens with critters that leave the illustration and make their mark on it as their story is told, an artist leaves her almost finished painting to do a different kind of painting. (Think David Wiesner and The Three Pigs.) What a surprise the artist might have been in for had she returned in the middle of the little chicken's artistic experimentation! The curious chicken spills blue ink that spreads all over the place. Once blue has sa...more
Call it barnyard self-actualization. Too heavy an idea for a picture book? Fine. How about breaking down the barn’s fourth wall? Or nine barnyard characters in search of an illustrator? However you want to couch it, I think we can probably state for the record that by this point any picture book that shows drawn characters taking on a life of their own is fairly par for the course. It’s not a particularly new or shocking idea. Mischievous chickens are also par for the course. No one can be all T...more
The chicken in the drawing is just trying to help, but she spills a pot of blue paint. Everything turns blue -- pansies, chickens, the cow -- everything. But maybe she can fix it. There's minimal text in this book, which is just fine because the art tells the story. The perspective of creatures seeming to come off the page will fascinate young readers and they'll enjoy the silly splashiness. Preschool.
The painting of the barnyard is almost complete. It’s a perfect day for painting the barn. Suddenly, one of the white chickens decides to help. In her hurry to aid the artist, the chicken accidentally knocks over the blue paint. Before long, everything---the chickens, the ducklings, the cat, the barn, the whole picture---is blue. The chicken is very sorry and decides to make amends by tipping over another bottle, with the hope that the picture can be fixed.
“At last!
The picture is almost finished...more
“At last!
The picture is almost finished...more
A book that breaks the fourth wall, similar to Chesterand The Three Pigs where characters start messing with the format of the book itself. I loved the illustrations in this one. In fact, the charming and sometimes hilarious illustrations are so good, that I feel like the text is an unnecessary addition. Honestly, the images convey what happens clearly and concisely, and I think I would have preferred the images left that way. Still a great little picture book though.
The cover and end pages are amazing. I enjoyed reading through this clever picture book by Deborah Freedman. It took a few reads for my six-year-old to catch all the nuances of real vs painted but it's a book worth reading again and again, and discovering new layers as you go.
Blue is everywhere when a curious chicken tips over the illustrators' ink pot. But the blue is eventually washed away, all is clean, and only the sky remains tainted. The story ends with a twist--very fun.
If you don't alr...more
Blue is everywhere when a curious chicken tips over the illustrators' ink pot. But the blue is eventually washed away, all is clean, and only the sky remains tainted. The story ends with a twist--very fun.
If you don't alr...more
Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman is a very clever take on how a picture can tell a story. The misadventure and fun splashes across the pages when a chicken spills a jar of blue paint changing her world to blue. Can she “undo the blue”?
Ms. Freedman uses words sparingly, but oh so admiringly! Each word and phrase colors the story with energy, playfulness, and intelligence. My favorites were—peevish, toppled, and sincerely. Words that felt wonderful rolling around on my tongue!
A creative tale about...more
Ms. Freedman uses words sparingly, but oh so admiringly! Each word and phrase colors the story with energy, playfulness, and intelligence. My favorites were—peevish, toppled, and sincerely. Words that felt wonderful rolling around on my tongue!
A creative tale about...more
Poor chicken, all he wanted to do was help watercolor illustrator Deborah Freeman paint the barn, but in his enthusiasm the blue paint is toppled over and now the farm and all the animals have turned blue.
But, he has an idea. Maybe, just maybe his idea will work to set everything right.
In this very simple book, your child, with your help, will be able to point out colors and animals. The very simple text will be easy for both of you to enjoy and the illustrations are beautiful and relaxing.
By t...more
But, he has an idea. Maybe, just maybe his idea will work to set everything right.
In this very simple book, your child, with your help, will be able to point out colors and animals. The very simple text will be easy for both of you to enjoy and the illustrations are beautiful and relaxing.
By t...more
Well if ever there was a book... Yes it's all about me isn't it?
I love a book that mixes color and perspective. One that colors outside the lines.
When a character walks out of the picture you KNOW its going to be a great day...hijinks insue!!!
A pot of blue paint gets toppled by a well intentioned chicken, cows turn blue, other chickens go on the rampage, and ducks get quackin'!
the chicken heads for the water jar to try and wash it away.
The blue stays in the sky, but there is a surprise on the...more
I love a book that mixes color and perspective. One that colors outside the lines.
When a character walks out of the picture you KNOW its going to be a great day...hijinks insue!!!
A pot of blue paint gets toppled by a well intentioned chicken, cows turn blue, other chickens go on the rampage, and ducks get quackin'!
the chicken heads for the water jar to try and wash it away.
The blue stays in the sky, but there is a surprise on the...more
I love realistic watercolors and this is a wonderful book for showcasing that kind of art. We begin with a half-finished painting of a farmyard scene. The barn is penciled in, ready to be painted with the brush nearby. All seems firmly set in "real life" until one of the chickens IN the painting steps over to a pot of blue paint and decides to "help" by painting the barn blue. The paint spills and now she's got a big problem! The other animals in the painting come to life and we're quickly immer...more
Oct 11, 2012
Marie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Everyone, especially people who love blue!
Shelves:
childrens-picture
I love blue!! I loved this book!
Blue Chicken feels very familiar, like one of those meta-books about the book within a book, like last year's Interrupting Chicken (hmmm... sensing a theme here?), or a less trippy The Three Pigs. In an unfinished watercolor of a farm scene, a little white chicken, trying to be helpful, falls into a container of blue paint. She splashes the paint not only over herself, but over the painting, the other chickens, the ducks, and the cow, until everything is blue. This book is practically tailor-mad...more
Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman is somewhat surreal adventure of a chicken in a picture that wreaks havoc with a pot of blue paint.
Within a picture, a chicken just wants to help within the farmyard scene, but the more she tries, the worse, and bluer everything gets. The chicken and a duckling tip something (turpentine?) that clears away the blue paint. Finally things seem to be under control, until the last page is turned.
The text is minimal, allowing readers to focus on the action.
Blue Chicken...more
Within a picture, a chicken just wants to help within the farmyard scene, but the more she tries, the worse, and bluer everything gets. The chicken and a duckling tip something (turpentine?) that clears away the blue paint. Finally things seem to be under control, until the last page is turned.
The text is minimal, allowing readers to focus on the action.
Blue Chicken...more
This vibrant picture book plays with color and perspective as well as characters who leave the flat page and enter the real world. The picture is almost finished when one of the chickens in the picture pops her head out. She then stands up and walks over to the paint pots that are waiting to finish the picture. When the chicken peeks into the blue paint, she accidentally tips it over and ends up painting herself. She is joined by a little duckling and then more who splash around in the new blue...more
Dec 05, 2011
Sara
added it
If you haven't checked out Debbie's interview at 7-Impossible Things Before Breakfast, run there, chicken-fast. You must see the vivid, emotionally true, totally fun art from this book that celebrates color and redeeming mistakes. The two-page spread which reads simply "The chicken is sorry! Sincerely sorry." is my favorite moment in the flood of disaster that overtakes the chicken----but Jules shares many other fabulous ones.
This was my potential Caldecott book.
This was an absolutely fantastic book. This cute little chicken is just trying to be helpful, but ends up causing a lot of problems with a can of blue paint. There isn't a huge amount of text, but the illustrations more than make up for it. The illustrations are very vivid and eye catching, and children (as well as adults are sure to enjoy them). It's a fun storyline, that children of all ages will enjoy. I would definitely read this in my class.
This was an absolutely fantastic book. This cute little chicken is just trying to be helpful, but ends up causing a lot of problems with a can of blue paint. There isn't a huge amount of text, but the illustrations more than make up for it. The illustrations are very vivid and eye catching, and children (as well as adults are sure to enjoy them). It's a fun storyline, that children of all ages will enjoy. I would definitely read this in my class.
Summary: In this deceptively simple picture book, author-illustrator Deborah Freedman has created an irresistible character that springs to life and wreaks havoc in a farmyard with a pot of blue paint. The innocent chicken just wants to help, but things get worse and worse-and bluer and bluer--the more she tries. Playing with colors and perspective, and using minimal text, this richly layered story reveals new things to see and laugh about with each reading.
A selection for the Mock Caldecott for my local library system; I absolutely love the imagination in this book! It is an adorable tale about a painting of a farm that includes a barn, chickens, ducks, a cow and a cat. One of the chickens decides to help by painting the barn blue, but things get out of hand and soon everything is covered in blue. Will she be able to get out of this mess? To find out, give this book a chance. Recommended for ages 5 months+, 5 stars.
Art and reality blur in this imaginative picture book. A picture is almost finished . . . a barnyard scene, with a chicken who is eager to help, for it is a perfect day for painting the barn. But the chicken spills a pot of blue paint, which spreads across the barnyard to the dismay of the other animals. When all is at it's bluest, the chicken manages to set things right with . . . water! The results are a little surprising and very satisfying. Lots of fun!
Great illustrations, from the front end paper to the back. I think this one even could have been wordless, as each picture perfectly relates what's happening (though the writing is good, too). Charlotte was completely entranced with the pictures - I almost spent more time watching her face light up with each turn of the page than I did the book. We got this from the library, but I will soon be purchasing our own copy.
I haven't seen Inception but I suspect this book is like Inception as a picture book, only with art, not dreams.
Beautiful water colors. Fun, whacky story. (The chicken was only trying to HELP!!) Might help children begin to identify colors, especially (can you guess?) blue.
I wouldn't be surprised if this came away with a Caldecott honor, although I think it's a bit of a dark horse.
Beautiful water colors. Fun, whacky story. (The chicken was only trying to HELP!!) Might help children begin to identify colors, especially (can you guess?) blue.
I wouldn't be surprised if this came away with a Caldecott honor, although I think it's a bit of a dark horse.
I'm giving this book three stars for the gorgeous execution of the illustrations, but I have a lot of problems with it otherwise. 1. The premise is done much better in Nancy Tafuri's Blue Goose. 2. I don't think the text is engaging at all. 3. How does the blue just get washed of the painting and everything just go back to normal? Logically, it would all be washed away. Problems!
Chicken only wants to help color the scene, but by knocking over the blue paint has she made the scene forever blue? I thought this book would be great for kids, especially those that want to help but seem to make a mess when trying.
Readalikes: Mouse Paint
Readalikes: Mouse Paint
Summary: In this book chicken just wants to help. But when he tries to help he spills the blue paint and turns EVERYTHING blue! He’s sad and no one is impressed. But chicken cleans up his mess and gets everything back to normal by the end.
Audience: K-2
Appeal: Short and sweet way to talk to kids about helping, making mistakes and cleaning up after themselves.
Implementation: If we were going to be doing a craft in class this would be a cute way to talk to the kids about being careful with the supp...more
Audience: K-2
Appeal: Short and sweet way to talk to kids about helping, making mistakes and cleaning up after themselves.
Implementation: If we were going to be doing a craft in class this would be a cute way to talk to the kids about being careful with the supp...more
Freedman does a good job of making 2-dimensional drawing appear 3-dimensional. Characters
"climb" out of the (unfinished) illustrations to enjoy a foray into the artists paints. The result? A blue chicken (NOT the same as UD's Blue Hens) and blue farm animals. What to do?
Mouse Paint (by Walsh) used this premise more successfully, but this is entertaining.
"climb" out of the (unfinished) illustrations to enjoy a foray into the artists paints. The result? A blue chicken (NOT the same as UD's Blue Hens) and blue farm animals. What to do?
Mouse Paint (by Walsh) used this premise more successfully, but this is entertaining.
Very cute yet simple enough for 2-5 year olds to understand. An artist has nearly finished a painting when a chicken comes to life and wants to help paint the barn. The chicken accidently tips over the blue paint, which spreads very quickly. I absolutely love the look of the splashed paint and water on the pages and the farm animals are so cute yet very simple.
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Once upon a time, I was an architect. But now I'd much rather build worlds in books — picture books like
Scribble
(Knopf, 2007),
Blue Chicken
(Viking, 2011), and
The Story of Fish and Snail
, coming from Viking in June 2013.
I love reading books; I hate rating them! Let's just say that if I really didn't like a book, it isn't here at all.
Website: www.deborahfreedman.net
Blog: writes with pictures
T...more
More about Deborah Freedman...
I love reading books; I hate rating them! Let's just say that if I really didn't like a book, it isn't here at all.
Website: www.deborahfreedman.net
Blog: writes with pictures
T...more
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