Laura Willingham

Chickens Don't Ski is part of a book series by author Laura Willingham. The initial feel of the book comes from the comically illustrated cover and declarative title.

The story concept is simplistic, but don't let that fool you. It also contains rich vocabulary and opportunities to discuss cause and effect and directional words like left, right, upwards, backflip, and headfirst. This directional term series is repeated three times, and children will enjoy repeating the sequence. I also think show more young readers or listeners will enjoy the exploits of these chickens.

The illustrations are simplistic and depict chickens wearing winter scarves, backpacking, and skiing. I would have liked to see more detail in some of the pictures so that children could find something new every time they looked at the book.

My biggest concern about this book is the poor editing choices and punctuation gaffes that lowered the overall appeal. I would consider sharing it with a child but not buy a physical copy to add to my collection. show less

This is a very cute little book about being flexible, innovative and making the most of every situation. There is a bad flood where Lily's family lives and some of their friends need to come stay with them on the high ground. Lily wants to make sure the friends have as much room as possible and feel welcome. Her sweet little heart and creative mind come up with a grand solution - her family will move to the tree house! Not just any tree house, because Lily puts all her skills to work show more cleaning, making curtains and gathering comfort items. Despite her mother's reservations, the house is a big hit with beautiful sunsets and a nice breeze. The takeaway: "They discovered home is where you make it." From what I understand, this is the third in a series of Lily Saves the Day books and the other two, besides winning awards, sound as fun as this book. Fun little book with a nice message carefully crafted so as not to feel moralistic. The playful illustrations tell the story for toddlers but there is text for beginning readers as well.
*Thank you to Black Rose Writing and Laura Willingham for this ARC.I received this book free of charge in return for an honest review.* show less

A quick but creative book that my three year old daughter loved! It teaches empathy and kindness but is also super fun and quirky! I would definitely read more books from this author or get them as gifts! Great read! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

Disclaimer: An electronic copy of this book was provided in exchange for review by publishers Black Rose Writing, via Library Thing.

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This sprightly children’s book uses a simple story line to introduce several important ideas, including body image, positive actions, sticking to one’s goals, and ignoring baseless criticism.

It’s time for the big annual chicken dance at the Blue Ridge barn, and Lily doesn’t want to go because she thinks she doesn’t have enough feathers. She show more cures the problem by making herself a tutu, prompting her mother to say “Chickens don’t wear tutus” and Lily to respond “They do now.” This exchange is repeated several times as first Mom and then Dad have their moods lifted and their body images improved by the talented Lily and her needle. The last triumphant repetition comes when the whole tutu-clad family marches into the dance.

The illustrations are equally upbeat and reflect the actions in ways that will allow a very young child to follow the story as it is read. In fact, this is probably a better “read-to” book than one for beginning readers, as some of the vocabulary is beyond primary level – “pondered”, “mosquito”, “chaise lounge”, and “hammock” will probably be beyond reading level for the target audience.

Parents, educators, and caregivers looking for a quick read that doesn’t depend on mass-media superheroes or complex wordplay will find “Chickens Don’t Wear Tutus” a good addition to the primary shelf. show less