Starred Review Chicken in the Kitchen

From the Series Lantana Global Picture Books

  • Interest Level: Preschool - Grade 2
  • Reading Level: Grade 2

What would you do if you woke up one night to find the shadow of a giant chicken passing your bedroom door? Go and investigate, of course!

When Anyaugo follows a giant chicken into her kitchen one warm night in Nigeria, she embarks on a fun-filled adventure where nothing is quite as it seems. Is the nature spirit that lives in the wooden walls of her house a help or a hindrance? Is the mischievous giant chicken a friend or a foe? Most importantly, will Anyaugo be able to save the food her Aunties have cooked for the New Yam Festival the next day?

An entertaining look at the fascinating masquerade culture of West Africa, told from the perspective of a plucky young Nigerian girl who finds the courage to protect the traditions she loves.

WINNER of the Children’s Africana Best Book Award 2016

“Okorafor leaps into the world of picture books in a most unforgettable way with this playful, fascinating tale”—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED

“My little boy wanted me to read it three times in a row. So yeah, I think my kids are in agreement on this: Five Stars”—Patrick Rothfuss, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Format Your Price Add
978-1-911373-15-5
$14.24
978-1-913747-19-0
$23.99
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Interest Level Preschool - Grade 2
Reading Level Grade 2
Genre Picture Books
Category SEL: A Self-Awareness, SEL: C Social Awareness, SEL: D Relationship Skills, SEL: E Responsible Decision-Making, Social Emotional Learning
Copyright 2017
Publisher Lantana Publishing
Imprint Lantana Publishing
Language English
Number of Pages 32
Publication Date 2017-09-01
Text Type Fiction
BISACS JUV030010, JUV012020, JUV017000
Dewey [Fic]
Graphics Full-color illustrations
Dimensions 9.75 x 9.75
Lexile 560
ATOS Reading Level 3.0
Accelerated Reader® Quiz 192421
Accelerated Reader® Points 0.5
Features Author/Illustrator biography, Awards, Original artwork, Reviewed, Starred Reviews, and Teaching Guides

Awards

  • We're the People Summer Reading List, Winner, 2018

Reviews

School Library Journal

Also illustrated by Amini, Nnedi Okorafor’s Chicken in the Kitchen (Lantana, 2017; K-Gr 4) stars another resourceful female protagonist. It’s the night before the New Yam Festival in Nigeria, and Anyaugo is awoken by a strange noise. The girl quietly creeps toward the kitchen, where she discovers a giant-size bird with spectacular, bright-hued feathers. Worried that this uninvited visitor will spoil the food her mother and aunties had prepared for the harvest celebration, she asks for help from the Wood Wit, a nature spirit that lives in the wooden walls of her house. However, as readers who look closely at the illustrations will suspect, the Wood Wit might be a bit of a trickster. Could the mysterious chicken be one of the powerful masquerade spirits that visit “the community during festivals, ceremonies and events”? It will take all of Anyaugo’s courage and cleverness to discover the truth. Lively text and vibrant artwork serve up a glimpse at this festival along with a playful perspective and bit of suspenseful adventure.

School Library Journal

“A sweet and satisfying story set in Nigeria that may inspire readers to learn more about the New Yam Festival and masquerades. A recommended general purchase for all libraries.”—School Library Journal

Booklist

“The big, bold, and sometimes almost three-dimensional illustrations maintain a folk-art feel while still feeling modern. . . . An unusual, but quite gregarious, offering.”—Booklist

Publishers Weekly

“[A] boisterous story of things that go bump in the night . . .”—Publishers Weekly

Starred Review Kirkus Reviews

“Okorafor leaps into the world of picture books in a most unforgettable way with this playful, fascinating tale.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews