Earthquack!

I'm a more-or-less fan of Palatini. The stuff of hers I like, I love. The stuff of hers I'm so-so about... well, it's just apathy all around. *shrugs*

But this one was just $2, so I picked up a copy and crossed my fingers.

It's not my *favorite* of her books (that'd be Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes), but it's sure a good one! This is a funny, punny variation on Chicken Little, with earthquakes instead of acorns and ducks instead of chicks. It *does* have Palatini's standard sarcasm-laden characters, so if you're trying to make every book sweetness and light for your kids, pass this one by. (But if that's the case, do you really want one where a major plot point is that one critter wants to eat the others? Seriously?)

Otherwise, I recommend show more this one highly. show less

Though this story is at times a mouthful and at other times a tongue twister, throughout the entire story you'll stay laughing. All the clever wordplay that seems to by a hallmark of Margie Palatini's work is present in this clever nod to Chicken Little. This isn't some fractured retelling though. Oh no, this is all new story featuring a new cast of needlessly frightened barnyard animals. Given the choice between the two cases of livestock hysteria, I refer this one. You will too. Give it a read. You won't regret it.

Chucky Ducky feels a grumble, then a rumble, then he takes a TUMBLE! Oh no, it's an earthquake! Chucky Ducky doesn't know much, but he knows what he heard, he knows what he felt and he knows what he saw - "THE EARTH IS CRUMBLING!" In a frantic rush to find all his friends and search for a safe haven, Chucky Ducky spreads the word that the earth is crumbling. At last, a weasel offers comfort and safety in his home. Is it really safe? Will the weasel really help them? Is the earth really crumbling?

Margie Palatini tells a funny retell of the original Henny Penny that's sure to delight young readers.

Earthquake is such a fun and cute children’s book. It’s about little Chucky Ducky seeing the earth crumbling, and realizing there is an earthquake. He goes to warn the rest of his animal friends, and one by one they all feel the earth crumble. I really enjoyed reading this book, and it would be great for young children.

When an over-anxious duck feels the ground rumbling, he assumes an earthquake is coming. He quacks the news to all the animals in the barnyard, but they're all in for a surprising ending to their worries. Reads like Henny Penny's "sky is falling" traditional tale.

When Chucky Ducky feels the earth beneath him grumble and rumble, he runs to alert the other barnyard animals to the coming earthquake. Just as a wily weasel is about to take advantage of their fears, the true source of the rumbling is revealed.

This is a story based off of Henny Penny. In this version, Chucky Ducky feels the Earth crumble beneath his webbed feet and goes off to warn his friends. As he tells each new animal friend, the Earth crumbles again, and they immediately believe him. They end up with a large group that moves together to tell everyone they see about the catastrophe. A sneaky weasel sees the group and thinks they would be a tasty meal, so he disguises himself and goes to join them. He then tells them that he has a shelter where they will be safe, which is actually a trap, but suddenly the ground starts shaking again. The weasel's disguise falls off and he is revealed for what he is. Then two moles pop up out of the ground and everyone realizes that they show more are what is causing the ground to shake and crumble! Now that they know they are safe, they return to their homes. This would be a good story to read to a class when discussing earthquakes or other natural disasters. Activities for this book can be found at www.margiepalatini.com. show less