The Great Mathemachicken 1

November 8, 2021
In 11 chapters, this smart, sprightly chapter book series starter stars a chick named Chirpy, whose number-patterned bow is an immediate tip-off that the coop can’t contain her STEM curiosity. Interested in why things fall and frustrated with her less intellectually rigorous friends, she stows away on a school bus and spends the day in the classroom of Mrs. Zoober, who’s teaching how simple machines leverage the power of gravity. This knowledge comes in handy when Chirpy returns home (they don’t serve chicken feed in the school lunchroom) and discovers that sibling Clucky may be in the clutches of a hungry fox. Rallying her fearful family and friends (“You can’t all be scared,” Chirpy tells her trembling family; “Why do you think they call us chickens?” is the reply), she builds a fox trap that’s equal parts engineering science and Rube Goldberg machine. Short, dialogue-driven paragraphs by Krulik (the Princess Pulverizer series) are peppered with “eggs-tra” humor and chicken wordplay (one of Chirpy’s mother’s friends is named Princess Lay-a), while Alder’s (Doggo and Pupper) cartoon spot illustrations, rendered in tones of yellow, gray, and black, provide plenty of visual characterization. Ages 5–8. Author’s agent: Kenneth Weinrib, Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo. Illustrator’s agent: Anne Moore Armstrong, the Bright Agency.

January 1, 2022

K-Gr 3-A curious young chick named Chirpy sneaks into school, where she learns about simple machines and counting strategies. When a fox threatens her community, Chirpy employs her newfound STEM skills to design a gentle trap using playground equipment including a swing, slide, and seesaw. She cajoles her reluctant chicken friends and family to join the effort. Told in 11 short chapters, the mostly one- and two-syllable word vocabulary includes some pithy one-liners with terms like "eggs-ploding" and "peck-uliar." Cartoon drawings in black, white, and yellow provide visual clues that help readers interpret the text, with brush strokes conveying a range of character emotions. A number of topics are touched on including gravity, force, and skip counting. Chirpy's invention demonstrates how simple machines can be used to create more complex ones; in this case a trap to catch a fox, who looks more like a house cat than a fierce predator. An engaging full-spread diagram complete with arrows shows how the trap works, but it does leave some aspects unexplained. Labeling each playground item by function (pendulum, inclined plane, or lever) would have clarified and reinforced key concepts. End pages include instructions on how to build a rudimentary wheel-and-axle toy with adult assistance. VERDICT This STEM series debut for newly independent readers provides a light but engaging look at simple machines. For more detail, pair with David A. Adler's Simple Machines: Wheels, Levers, and Pulleys, or D.J. Ward's Simple Machines.-Jenny Andrus

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