Chicken in the Kitchen
From the Series Lantana Global Picture Books
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 |
| 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 |
Author: Nnedi Okorafor
Nnedi Okorafor is a multi-award winning author born in the United States to Nigerian parents. Her children’s books have won the Macmillan Writers’ Prize for Africa and the Wole Soyinka Prize for African Literature.
Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini
Mehrdokht Amini is an Iranian-born children’s book illustrator. She has been nominated for a Kate Greenaway Medal and been invited to participate in the prestigious Bratislava Biennial of Illustrations. She lives in the UK.
Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!
Lantana Global Picture Books
Lantana Global Picture Books are inclusive and international stories celebrating every kind of child and family, because all children deserve to see themselves in the books they read. With a focus on #ownvoices authors from under-represented groups, these stories make a… View available downloads →
Awards
- We're the People Summer Reading List
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
Kirkus Reviews
“Okorafor leaps into the world of picture books in a most unforgettable way with this playful, fascinating tale.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews