Into the Wild: Yet Another Misadventure

Chicken Squad #3

by Doreen Cronin, Stephen Gilpin (Illustrations)

Now an animated series on Disney Junior!

The Chicken Squad is back for their third (mis)adventure, and this time they’re facing off with whatever’s hiding in a mystery box in the backyard. A hilarious chapter book from the bestselling author of Click, Clack, Moo and Diary of a Worm .

Our fluffy, fearless young detectives are back out sleuthing because there’s a new cage in the yard, and the Chicken Squad is determined to figure out just who this new addition is. Because whatever it is, it’s definitely up to no good. So equipped with the latest surveillance gear—which apparently includes copious amounts of marshmallows—the chicks venture into the wild to get answers. Let’s just hope they can beat that giant raincloud that’s closing in…because everyone knows that chickens can’t swim!

Genres: Animals, Humor, Chapter Books, Fiction, Childrens, Mystery, Adventure

112 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2016

About the author

Doreen Cronin (born 1966) is an American writer of children's books, including Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type, a very well-received picture book illustrated by Betsy Lewin.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read aloud to T, M, S and D.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love this cute little bunch of chickens. Now that we are into the third adventure you can really see their separate personalities coming through. Sugar was true to her interrupting, impulsive self in this escapade. Dirt was also featured and her notes on the surveillance of the box in the yard were a hoot. Their moustaches and marshmallow belts made me laugh out loud. Great illustrations throughout.

It was fun to have mama chicken come into the story, too. Looking forward to seeing what these little yellow fluffballs continue to explore their backyard.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, yellow, fuzzy chicks with fake mustaches and marshmallow belts -- 'nuff said.

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my least favorite of the series so far. Not sure why but I just don’t feel like it was as funny or engaging as the others.

[Scout · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's funny. I like the marshmallow belts. Short, yellow, fuzzy. 😄

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

First sentence: "I got a bad feeling about that new box over there," said Sugar.


Premise/plot: Dirt (Peep), Sugar (Little Boo), Poppy (Poppy), and Sweetie (Sweet Coconut Louise) ARE the chicken squad. Supposedly these chicks are DETECTIVES who solve cases. In this one no one has come to them asking for help. Barbara--their owner--has built a box in her backyard. It is CONFUSING the chicks--greatly. Who is in the box?


My thoughts: This is the third book in the Chicken Squad series. In this one, the four chicks try to piece together the mystery of WHO is in the BOX in the backyard. Is it a real case since no one has come to ask them for help? Since the chicks are just curious themselves? This early reader series is only a mystery series in the very lightest of terms. The characterization has just as much substance as the mysteries--that is it's almost nonexistent. But it's a quick read with a few laughs.

[AMY · Rating 4 out of 5]

95 pages. Another great misadventure of the chickens. This one involves disguises and a mysterious box containing some unknown, possibly dangerous creature. Lots of fun! Kids will enjoy the funny dialogue of the chicken family. Highly recommended for grades 3-5.

[Readergirl77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nathan just loves these books with the chicken squad adventures.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty hilarious, but disappointed in the unnecessary toilet humor. Besides, chickens don't pee.

[Eme87 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another silly adventure with 4 little chicks. Cronin has fantastic style and humor that gets kids and adults laughing at the antics of these little chickens solving their imaginary problems.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Doreen Cronin has a silly sense of humor, as seen previously in books like "Click, Clack, Moo" and "Diary of a Worm". She has used that same silliness to create "The Chicken Squad", a series of early chapter books featuring 4 crazy chicken sisters who like to solve mysteries. In this book, there is a new box in the backyard that holds a mysterious, possibly dangerous, creature. The sisters need to find out whether it is friend or foe. Eventually they do, but along the way there's adventure, intrigue, lots of miscommunication, and humor.

[East Gwillimbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an early reader’s chapter book, great for young children who are graduating from longer picture books.
This book is about four chicks, Dirt, Sweetie, Poppy, and Sugar, who set out to solve what mysterious being exists in a nearby box. All these chicks know is that the stranger is not a chicken! Join them on their humorous adventure to solve the case.
There are many illustrations along the way for kids to enjoy. The author of this book is Doreen Cronin.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The next adventure of the chicks. This time we see them on a stake out. They are funny as they prepare for the stake out then do it. Their observations are wild. Sugar doesn't let the facts stand in the way of her theory. Dirt is more realistic and they all need to pay more attention to Sweetie. Again another fun romp with the chicks and Momma to straighten them out.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son and I read this in one sitting and laughed our way through it. Great addition to a very silly series. It was a joy to hear my 9 year-old snort with laughter at a couple of points. He acts so grown-up at times, but it was a good reminder that he's still just a little boy who loves those silly chickens and their adventures.

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

My 7 year old lost interest in this book pretty quick, and I can't blame him, I guess. It's not bad, it's just specific. The humor reminded me of Pixar humor, in that the jokes were often directed at an older audience then the book was ostensibly written for.

But the chickens are funny and the illustrations add an extra level of humor. Give it to the right kid and it will be a hit.

[Mikey Golczynski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still think I prefer the Alien grill from the first book, but Sugar is way out there in this, the third Chicken Squad young reader novel. There's something so childlike about how everything here gets so overblown and out of control. It's just good, fast reading fun.

[April Moody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A laugh out loud early reader about 4 little chicks that solve mysteries. The chicks personalities are a crack up! Great for young readers by the same author that wrote "Click Clack M00- Cows that Type"

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Survival skills, kid.

The mystery the animal's identity is made clear pretty early in the book for the observant reader. The chicken squad, though, needs a little longer to process the clues.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Chicken Squad investigates a strange wooden structure that was built in the back yard, and to find out why their coop was moved across the yard away from the strange box. Thinking it has something top secret inside, the squad decides to set up surveillance on the box to determine actual facts from pure speculation. During further investigation they find themselves trapped in a storm, and have to use team work, and survival skills to make it back safely to shelter.

[Zaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice novel for young readers, with illustrations and silly baby chickens.

I found the read pretty average. Nothing was bad, but I didn't have fun or find the mystery really interesting. The various chickens were nice and each added something to the story. It's not a book I'll offer to kids, but I suppose young readers will be fine with it.

[Courtney Umlauf · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute series for kids reading early chapter books. The silly humor is sure to please.

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[Michelle (MichellesBookishLife)]

Into the Wild: Yet Another Misadventure by Doreen Cronin is the third book in the Chicken Squad series. Dirt, Sugar, Poppy and Sweetie are four chicken siblings who are sure to get into trouble when they’re together. This time, they’re trying to solve the mystery of the box in the backyard. Read Into the Wild: Yet Another Misadventure by Doreen Cronin to learn what they find!

[Debra · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one just left me not laughing. I thought the author was struggling to put together a story and grabbed for the pee and poop lines and threw in the disguises. I didn't think it was coherent. I really like the first two book, but maybe I was expecting too much.

[Brooke Shackelford · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son picked this out at the library and we didn’t realize it was book 3 of a series. Neither of my kids warmed up to this one. The humor was a miss for us, although they do like this author’s Click, Clack, Moo series.

[Mama Bearian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book about 4 adventurous chicks: Sugar, Dirt, Poppy, and Sweetie, is a fun read. It is mostly dialogue, which threw me a little and may be hard for some newer readers to handle. It may be better served as a read aloud or audiobook so that the voices can be changed up between characters.

[Elizabeth Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a comical and cute read. I love they discuss what speculation verses facts are and the scientific method! What a fun and creative way of presenting those vocabulary words! I love the all of the chicks personalities! Such a great book!!

[Maximilian Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because I like funny and humorous stories. I also liked this book because I like chickens.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite so far!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story of the chickens bumbling around to solve another "mystery."

[Daphne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still funny, still clever, still a fan of the narration.