A Chick Called Saturday

PreS-Gr 2-Saturday, the seventh chick to hatch, is curious about everything. He wants to know about the pond, the geese, and the blackbird flying by. But each time he asks, "When can I do that?" his mother replies, "Never." "Not ever! Now, keep in line." Finally, the frustrated bird asks, "Well, what can I do?" to which his mother enumerates fairly boring options like clucking and scratching; "You can stop asking questions" is her last comment. But the indefatigable chick explores on his own and learns that he is not cut out to swim, honk, or fly off the back of a cow. Finally, Saturday sees "the most amazing creature of all," a rooster crowing; lets out a "cock-a-doodle-doo"; and finds his own voice. His mother is proud of him, at last. Granstr m's watercolors are awash with greens, yellows, and browns, and the lovely endpapers show farm vistas. Children may be confused, however, by the multihued chicks from differently colored eggs. Also, it is disturbing that the effervescent young bird's questions and ideas are constantly squelched by his overbearing mother. That he defiantly goes off on his own to explore is both a good and bad message for youngsters testing their boundaries. Finally, the fact that the rooster is never called a rooster seems unfortunate since it is Saturday's destiny to become one.-Bina Williams, Bridgeport Public Library, CT Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

A chick finds his true calling in this sunny-hued picture book about self-discovery and acceptance. Saturday is the most inquisitive chick in his family. He marvels at all the other creatures in the barnyard, wondering why he can't be like them instead of his plain old self. Despite his mother's frequent command to simply "Get in line!", Saturday eagerly tries to fly like a blackbird, swim like a duck and honk like a gosling-with very disheartening results. But when Saturday sees a gloriously plumed rooster and hears its rousing cock-a-doodle-doo, the chick can't wait to emulate him, and he finds that crowing is a perfect fit. Dunbar's (Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep) breezy pace and repetitive refrains will keep young readers happily down on the farm, though Mother Hen's admonitions to conform seem overdone. Granstrum's (Baby Knows Best) airy pencil-lined watercolors depict farm life at its bucolic best. Her various animals have realistic features but are just anthropomorphic enough in expression to make them endearing characters. And Saturday's red nub of a cock's comb charmingly foreshadows his call to barnyard greatness. All ages. (Aug.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.