(click on episode title to listen to podcast)
I was scrolling through my Twitter feed the other day and there it was, the latest innovation for urban farmers who want to show off their feathered friends to their neighbors: a stroller for chickens. Yep, you heard me correctly. A stroller. For chickens. Apparently, the chicken crossed the road because he was being pushed. Seeing that picture of pampered poultry got me thinking about books starring the little squawkers and I knew I had to dedicate an episode to the topic.
Welcome to Happy Reading, a podcast celebrating middle grade fiction that centers around a specific theme, with the occasional picture book or young adult title thrown in. I’m your book-obsessed host, Sarah Threlkeld, former middle school reading teacher, current elementary librarian, and a huge chicken when it comes to heights. Today's titles are all about those barnyard animals that bawk. Since I already spotlighted Kelly Jones’ fabulous Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer in episode 5, I won’t be recommending as many titles as usual. Luckily, I am going to include an interview with Kelly Jones where you’ll hear about one of her favorite middle grade books, so no need to go crying on your giant pillow, as my friend Christina would say. So cue up your favorite chicken dance from Arrested Development, scramble up an egg or two, and settle in for episode nine of Happy Reading.
I have read Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen at least three times because it makes me so darn happy and every student I have ever recommended it to has fallen in love with the sweet and funny story of Bryce and Julianna. Told in alternating chapters by two middle schoolers, Flipped follows the evolution of the relationship between two neighbors whose lives and emotions never quite sync up. Juli Baker fell head over heels in love with Bryce the moment she saw him moving into the neighborhood the summer before second grade and goes out of her way to spend as much time as possible with him. Unfortunately, Bryce can’t stand Julianna and goes to great lengths to avoid her. This love-hate relationship goes on for years, with Juli never quite catching on to the fact that Bryce can’t stand her. In fifth grade Juli hatches baby chicks for the school science fair and ends up keeping the chickens in her backyard, which mystifies Bryce. He and his family are scared to eat the eggs and throw them away any time Juli brings some by. This goes on for two years. Two years! Juli eventually finds out about the egg tossing, which makes her furious, and her feelings for Bryce go up in flames. Unfortunately for Bryce, he starts to realize how incredibly brave, smart and funny Juli is and is desperate to rekindle their relationship. Everything is flipped around (see what I did there?) and if you want to find out what happens in the end to Juli and Bryce you’ll have to pick up Flipped and see for yourself. Here are two excerpts, one from each character’s point of view, to give you a sense of Bryce and Juli’s voices.
excerpt 1 - pages 1-4
excerpt 2 - pages 11-14
INT. - LIVING ROOM - EARLY MORNING
Woman in her late 30’s sits on a gray couch reading a hardback book. She smiles, then laughs. After a few moments she closes the book with a satisfied sigh.
FADE TO BLACK
Kate Walden Directs: Night of the Zombie Chickens by Julie Mata is a delightful realistic fiction story about friendship, filmmaking, and obnoxious chickens. Kate dreams of becoming a big-time Hollywood director and is close to finishing her first full-length film, Night of the Zombie Chickens. Her best friend Alyssa is the star of the movie, but lately she doesn’t seem as interested in finishing the movie as Kate; she’d rather hang out with Lydia, the most popular girl in seventh grade. When the kids at school start making fun of Kate for living on a small farm where her mom raises chickens, Alyssa yuks it up with everyone else and Kate is devastated. The two friends get into a huge fight and stop speaking to one another. Now Kate is left without a star and without a best friend. Furious and feeling sorry for herself, Kate plots to get back at Alyssa. Her plan works perfectly, but has consequences Kate could never have predicted. Will Kate and Alyssa mend their friendship? Will Kate finish her movie? Are the chickens really plotting to ruin her life? Read this funny and heartfelt debut novel to find out. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even be inspired to create your own horror masterpiece! Here’s an excerpt from chapter one that will give you a sense of Kate’s family dynamic.
excerpt - pages 2-5
Congressman John Lewis is known for his social activism and his eloquent, inspiring speeches. What many people may not know is he perfected his speaking skills by preaching to the chickens while growing up on his family’s farm. The picture book biography Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of a Young John Lewis by Jabari Asim focuses on Lewis’ childhood, where he was expected to work and put his trust in God. John was tasked with caring for sixty or so chickens and he would carry on conversations with the ladies while feeding them and tending to the hen house. He defended those chickens when a man wanted to trade household goods for them and saved a hen who had fallen into a well. John even gave sermons to the chickens, pretending they were members of a congregation that he dreamed of leading as an adult. John Lewis didn’t become a pastor, but he has inspired countless people throughout his career with his passionate words and brave deeds. I, for one, am thankful for those chickens!
Interview with Kelly Jones
In the words of Camilla the Chicken, the love of Gonzo’s life, “bawk bawk ba-caw!,” which probably translates into something along the lines of “Chickens are fabulous and you should definitely read the books from this podcast!” I hope you enjoyed this poultry-themed episode of Happy Reading and that you learned about a title or two that you can’t wait to get your hands (or claws) on. A huge thank you to author Kelly Jones for taking time out of her day to chat with me about her debut novel and share her love of children’s literature. If you enjoy this podcast and want to spread the middle grade book love, I'd be forever grateful if you posted a review on iTunes. As always, you can track me down through my blog at happyrdng.blogspot.com, where you can also find transcripts of every episodes and links to the books I mention. I'm also on Twitter under the handle @happyrdng. Until next time, dear listeners, happy reading!
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