Chickens are not generally blue, but this Blue Chicken ($15.99, Viking Children’s Books, ages 2 and up) is undoubtedly bluer than blue and 
other colors too! The story of Blue Chicken, written and illustrated by Deborah Freedman, is all about the artwork. Spilled blue paint makes for a wild adventure for one chicken and her barnyard friends. Things just seem to get worse and worse as this chicken tries to help. The beauty of this enchanting book is the development of the story through the fabulous watercolor illustrations; there are few words. Ms. Freedman is an architect-turned-author, and you’ll find her picture book illustrations to be unique to all others you’ve seen. What young child wouldn’t love studying marvelous pictures and reading a story about a bunch of farm animals and spilled paint?
- Reviewed by Debbie Glade
