Where, Oh Where, Is Rosie's Chick?

In 1968's Rosie's Walk, celebrated for its combination of deadpan sentences and suspenseful imagery, Hutchins pictured a clueless chicken tailed by a luckless fox. This sequel revisits Rosie, still just as dotty, who is making her way across a barnyard in search of her just-hatched chick. Readers will notice right away that the chick is disguised, its head covered by half an eggshell with only its orange legs and yellow midsection visible. As Rosie bumbles along ("Where is her little baby chick?"), she drops the henhouse gate on a pouncing cat and knocks an apple into the jaws of a sharp-toothed fish, inadvertently saving her oblivious chick from peril. At last mother and child get together, observed by the original book's fox and its own little one. Hutchins reprises her hand-drawn style and autumnal palette, with the action unspooling across the lower margin of the spreads against a backdrop of orchards and haystacks. This mild continuation stays so true to Rosie's Walk that it could've easily been published a few years after that book, instead of almost 50. Ages 4-8. (Aug.)

PreS-Gr 1--When Rosie the hen finally hatches an egg, she cannot find her baby chick. She looks everywhere, and all the while, her chick is looking for her--sort of. Baby chick is still wearing half of his shell over his head and walking around blindly. Rosie does not even recognize him, but an unfriendly fox does and begins following close behind. The captivating illustrations are like a bright quilt of colors and patterns, with humor tucked in for observant readers. The text alone is not sufficient to tell this easy story. Readers will see the dangers and want to warn the chick and try to convince Rosie to turn around to find her baby. But all ends well. This would be a great choice for sharing during the changing seasons. VERDICT A charming sequel to the classic Rosie's Walk and an appealing read-aloud for all collections.--Mary Hazelton, formerly at Warren & Waldoboro Elementary Schools, ME