A Little Chicken

by Tammi Sauer, Dan Taylor (Illustrator)

Dot is a little chicken, who is, let’s face it, a little chicken. Can she find a way to pluck up her courage?

“A gently humorous take on conquering fear that's also a fine read-aloud.” —Kirkus 

Dot is scared of lots of things: wolves, bears, the occasional lawn ornament. But when one of her mother’s eggs rolls out of the nest, this nervous chick must find the courage to save the day—and her new sibling! So she bravely ventures down the steep hill, into the deep pond, and into the dark woods. Perfect for any kid who needs a little encouragement to face the challenging world, this story proves that sometimes a big hero is just a little chicken.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Animals, Childrens, Humor, Family, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 12, 2019

About the author

Tammi Sauer is the author of Cowboy Camp (Sterling, 2005), Chicken Dance (Sterling, 2009), Mostly Monsterly (Paula Wiseman/S&S, 2010), the forthcoming Princess-in-Training (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), and something that's currently Top Secret.

Tammi and her family live in Oklahoma with one dog, two geckos, and a tank full of random fish.

Reviews

[Shaye Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a CUTE book. Review to come this evening!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book for preschoolers showing them how even little chickens can be brave heroes. Simple text and fantastic illustrations make this a fun read to be shared over and over. Cute chicken and egg language is sprinkled throughout.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book. My favorite line is the ending, "Sometimes a big hero...is just a little chicken." A fun book about a little chicken who is a little chicken. It's easy to relate to this one.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Little Chicken by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Dan Taylor. PICTURE BOOK. Sterling, 2019. $17. 9781454929000

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Dot the Chicken it a little chicken. But when her own actions cause one of her mama’s eggs to roll away, she screws up her courage and rises to the occasion.

Sauer writes a terrific story about screwing up your courage and Taylor’s details add to the perfection. I love seeing Dot in her pink underwear superhero costume, and being afraid of the occasional lawn ornament made me snort! Such fun to share – you will needing this for story time.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a little chicken (super sweet one), fear, and what happens when circumstances demand a hero no matter how much those bird legs might quiver.

Dot was a little chicken. And Dot wasn't very brave. Not at all. But she's excited about soon having siblings...until one of the eggs rolls out of the next and out the coop. Dot knows that this is probably going to be an adventure past her comfort zone, but off she goes to save that egg. Little did she know exactly how adventurous the entire episode would become.

This book has a wonderful play between text and illustrations—a masterful balance! The story is direct and says only those things, which need to be said. The rest ties right in with the pictures, allowing Dot and her adventure to hit full force. And this is quite the adventure! Dot's geeky glasses and over-careful attitude are endearing and make Dot that much easier to cheer for, when Dot oversteps her personal boundaries.

But then, the egg must be saved! Every young listener will wonder if Dot can make it past her own fears and save that egg. It's tense, has a very clear message, and brings a wonderful character straight to the heart. Young listeners will love this one.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the tale so much that I loved to leave my honest thoughts.

[Janet Squires · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Little Chicken by Tammi Sauer with illustrations by Dan Taylor is a light-hearted story for young readers. Chicken is afraid of a great many things: bears, butterflies, wolves, spiders, even garden gnomes. But when she accidentally sends a soon-to-hatch egg rolling out of the nest, she must confront her fears as she sets off in hot pursuit. It’s one failed attempt after another, before she finally recovers the egg just in time to welcome her new baby sister into the world and become a hero in the process.

Sauer’s prose is playful and rhythmic; the humorous tone is engaging. The brief text allows the colorful illustrations to contribute to the storytelling experience and makes for a fun read aloud for children and adults.

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The cover grabbed my attention right away. Vivid colors and a funny picture of a chicken running away from a butterfly of all things. This tells me the nerdy looking chicken has fears.

What a great story! A clear message of how being afraid and facing those fears when needed is written and illustrated perfectly! I love it! She shows a great amount of courage that is rewarded. A fantastic read for those facing anxiety issues, phobias, and other fears.

The plot flows with suspense and adventure accompanied by complimentary illustrations that drive the message home! Well done!

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world can be a scary place for little kids. Dot, the little chicken in this adorable picture book, is afraid of lots of different things, and these fears are overwhelming for her. But when an accident occurs, and one of her mother's eggs rolls out of the hen house, she forgets her fears in order to go after it. The relatable story and the lovely illustrations will make this a nice book to share with young readers. This could be a great way for young children to discuss or write about their own experiences overcoming fears.

[Christina Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes when life gets tough, you have to be brave enough to face your fears, even when you feel a little chicken. Dot was afraid of so many things but when her unhatched sibling rolled away from the coop, she found the courage she needed to save the day. A Little Chicken by Tammi Sauer would make a great addition to any K-5 library. I hope it will encourage our students to be brave, even in the most difficult of situations. And on a side note, I think that Dot is so adorable with her supersized glasses!

[Flossmoor Public Library (IL) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

The bright and vibrant colors of the cover caught my eye, with a glasses wearing chicken running away from a butterfly. I initially thought this book was going to be about an actual little chicken, but it turned out to be about a cute little chick named Dot who is scared of a lot of things. She takes a lot of precautions to protect her unborn siblings, but then an accident happens. This is where Dot must decide to face fear head-on or be ‘a little chicken”. Very cute illustrations and a wonderful story about being brave despite your fears.

- Miss Jenny

[Tiffany S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Dot the chicken, who was scared of a lot of things like a sneaky wolf, a grumpy bear, and a few lawn gnomes here and there. Being brave is super difficult for a little chicken, but one day when she accidentally finds herself on a journey to bring back a sibling (in an egg), she musters up the courage to get her sibling back.

It's a lovely story for those who just need that little bit of courage! Aided by soft and adorable illustrations and rhythmic prose, this is a book will easily engage young readers and get interaction and a few giggles too.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tammi Sauer does it again! This book is so cute! Dot is a little Chicken who is a little chicken. Everything scares her. But when her sibling (an egg, how cute is that) is in trouble, Dot must finally face her fears. Full of adorable puns, this book will be adored by young readers nervous about facing new challenges. Highly recommend!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Sauer's work and was very excited about this one. I think the little readers at my library are going to love this book! The illustrations are bright, fun, and super cute. The Little Chicken made me laugh and I loved that she became the "hero" of the story. The ending was perfect and made me laugh out loud. I think this one is going to be a new favorite at my library.

[Juliana Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dot is a little chicken who is afraid of just about everything. Then one day she accidentally knocks one of the eggs out of the nest and has to overcome her fears to rescue the egg. Just as she catches up to it, her baby sister hatches. Now Dot is a hero and has to be a role model for her little sister, but she's still afraid of many things.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dot the chicken is not very brave. She's afraid of almost everything. But when she bumps an egg out of the nest she courageously chases after it. After all, that egg is a future sibling. Chasing the egg requires quite a bit of bravery from Dot.

Cute illustrations. Story is...meh. Repetitive text isn't regular enough to be useful. Story is disjointed at best. Not recommended.

[Courtney K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book will be good to share with a group. It is about a chicken who is afraid of a lot of things, but has to face her fears when one of her egg siblings goes missing. There are lots of prompts for interaction with large illustrations.

[Tiziana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice story about a little chicken named Dot who is afraid of many things, until one day she proves how brave she can be when she has to face many of her fears. I loved the cute and colourful illustrations.

[Lauri Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little chicken is a little chicken about a lot of things. But when she makes a mistake, she finds the bravery to go on an adventure to save a lost egg. She might still be scared, but "Sometimes a big hero is just a little chicken."

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Sauer's humor!
This story about a little chicken overcoming fear is perfect for youngsters with fears of their own.
Love her play on words. The illustrations are wonderful, too. Large & adorable.
Love the last line: "Sometimes a big hero... ...is just a little chicken." Perfect.

[Deb S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s not easy to be brave, but with a soon-to-be sibling’s safety on the line, Dot, a little chicken with a big heart, rises to the challenge. Hilarious word play coupled with lively illustrations make this a fun read aloud for all ages.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! My students really enjoyed the story about Dot and her struggles with being chicken. I loved when they caught the play on words! The illustrations were perfect for the text. Loved it!

[Stella Wenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the illustration and Dot the chicken is so cute and we all understand that feeling of wanting to be brave but keep falling short. Bought this for my niece who loves chicken, hoping she'd like it too.

[N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute and punny tale of a scared chicken who heroically saves her unborn sibling when an egg rolls away from the coop.

[Jaymie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - cute story about family and courage.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe a 3.5. It started off fun, but I lost my enthusiasm by the end.

[☀️Carden☀️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute and delightfully colorful and vibrant with life!

[Mary Williams-Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be brave little one. Great message!

[Colorado Buck · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this cute story. cute story about a chicken chasing down her egg and in the meantime chasing down her fears. would use for preschool storytime.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute!

[Beth P]

3.5