Catch That Chicken!

Baby Goes to Market team Atinuke and Brooksbank tell the story of Lami, a West African girl with beaded braids, bright green sandals, and a talent for catching chickens. Her sister Sadia may be a better speller, her brother Bilal may be braver with bulls, but Lami is the champion chicken catcher. She's famed throughout her compound, and family members and friends cheer her on. Brooksbank draws the community from above: a fence surrounds the dwellings and outbuildings where adults and children work and play, drying laundry hangs like banners, and huge trees offer shade. Suspense builds as Lami pursues a black-and-white hen around the compound and up an enormous baobab; "Sannu!" her elders tell her, "SLOW DOWN!" When she takes a tumble, it turns out that Lami can catch chickens even after she's sprained her ankle. The story stars a strong girl of color and offers a look at life in a close-knit community, a setting in which every gift contributes to the whole. Ages 2-5. (July)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2--Lami is the best chicken catcher in her village. One day in her haste and bravery, Lami chases a chicken right up a baobab tree, but loses her footing and falls, spraining her ankle. With advice from her grandmother to use quick thinking rather than quick chasing, Lami remains the best chicken catcher in the village. Set in a beautiful Nigerian village, this tale highlights the ingenuity of children in a humorous and lively manner. Many valuable lessons are embedded into the narrative, and readers will be inspired by Lami's resilience. The illustrations, created with mixed media, are cheerfully colorful and alluring in their detail. VERDICT Children will enjoy this lively tale of positivity and innovation.--Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal Sch., Middleton, DE

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Brooksbank's vibrant illustrations have the look of quickly stroked pastels and teem with motion and activity. Chickens in many colors populate the pages, and the interactions among both adults and children emphasize the strong sense of community in this village. Brooksbank also makes excellent use of white space to focus in on Lami's love of chickens and her delight in pursuing them. A fun-filled, culturally rich tale that will delight readers young and older.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Atinuke's well-paced text uses repetition, alliteration and seamless bilingual text to draw her audience into the story. It's nicely paired with Atinuke's previous illustrative partner (B Is for Baby; Baby Goes to Market) Angela Brooksbank's brightly colored, patterned and energetic mixed-media illustrations, which convey a strong sense of life within the bustling compound.
—Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review)

Set in a beautiful Nigerian village, this tale highlights the ingenuity of children in a humorous and lively manner. Many valuable lessons are embedded into the narrative, and readers will be inspired by Lami's resilience. The illustrations, created with mixed media, are cheerfully colorful and alluring in their detail. Children will enjoy this lively tale of positivity and innovation.
—School Library Journal

Baby Goes to Market team Atinuke and Brooksbank tell the story of Lami, a West African girl with beaded braids, bright green sandals, and a talent for catching chickens...The story stars a strong girl of color and offers a look at life in a close-knit community, a setting in which every gift contributes to the whole.
—Publishers Weekly

Living in a small African village compound, perhaps in the author's home country of Nigeria, Lami is cheerfully energetic, always ready to take off chasing a chicken, with beaded hair bouncing happily. The text is lively and snappy, full of well chosen verbs and adverbs punctuated with smooth alliteration. The mixed-media illustrations portray sunny scenes of family life.
—Booklist

Humorous and colorful mixed-media illustrations depict a tightknit community, with entertaining details about how Lami's poultry obsession plays out in daily life; even while getting her hair braided, for example, she lunges for a chicken passing by. A thoughtful mix of double-page spreads, single pages, and occasional panel-style illustrations allows for quicker or slower pacing throughout. Lively chase scenes and funny poultry antics make for a laugh-out-loud preschool adventure.
—The Horn Book