The Chicken Dance
by Jacques Couvillon
by Jacques Couvillon
THE CHICKEN DANCE by Jacques Couvillon
Category: Contemporary
Age Recommendation: Grades 6+
Release Date: 8/21/07
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Reviewed by: Lori P.
Rating: 5 Stars
How do you go from being an unknown in Horse Island to becoming famous? It's simple -- win a chicken judging
contest. The minimum age for entering the contest has been lowered to eleven this year. Don Schmidt sees this as his
opportunity to become more well-known and to make a difference in his normal ho-hum life. He rents all kinds of
different books from the library and becomes a chicken "expert."
The chicken judging contest is only the beginning of the many changes in Don's life. He lives with his Mother and Father;
they don't want him to ever call them Mom and Dad. They are an unusual family who always eat TV dinners. Mother
even surprises Father and Don when having a dinner party, but it is quite a hassle getting all the potatoes out of those foil
trays. Don is caught looking at some papers in his parents' room, and finds out that his real name is Stanley. Mother and
Father are always talking about his sister Dawn, who disappeared around the time that Don was born. Don is always
living in her shadow. No mention of whether she is dead or was kidnapped intrigues Don, so he decides to go search for
her.
Don does such a great job at judging chickens that he is chosen to attend the regional chicken judging event in Baton
Rouge. He learns from a dancer that Dawn has been seen dancing at a club in the same town. He enlists the help of one
of his friends and the boys set out on the streets and find her. Its one discovery after another while on the trail of Dawn.
This is a very exciting book with its many twists and turns. There is a certain amount of mystery involved as well as an
intriguing storyline with often times very humorous portions. This is a must-read for those tweens who enjoy a story
where an ordinary boy makes himself known and sets his boring life on a more exciting track. This book would definitely
be enjoyed by girls as well as boys, though. There will be portions where you will be cackling with laughter. You will
never do "the chicken dance" the same way again.
Category: Contemporary
Age Recommendation: Grades 6+
Release Date: 8/21/07
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Reviewed by: Lori P.
Rating: 5 Stars
How do you go from being an unknown in Horse Island to becoming famous? It's simple -- win a chicken judging
contest. The minimum age for entering the contest has been lowered to eleven this year. Don Schmidt sees this as his
opportunity to become more well-known and to make a difference in his normal ho-hum life. He rents all kinds of
different books from the library and becomes a chicken "expert."
The chicken judging contest is only the beginning of the many changes in Don's life. He lives with his Mother and Father;
they don't want him to ever call them Mom and Dad. They are an unusual family who always eat TV dinners. Mother
even surprises Father and Don when having a dinner party, but it is quite a hassle getting all the potatoes out of those foil
trays. Don is caught looking at some papers in his parents' room, and finds out that his real name is Stanley. Mother and
Father are always talking about his sister Dawn, who disappeared around the time that Don was born. Don is always
living in her shadow. No mention of whether she is dead or was kidnapped intrigues Don, so he decides to go search for
her.
Don does such a great job at judging chickens that he is chosen to attend the regional chicken judging event in Baton
Rouge. He learns from a dancer that Dawn has been seen dancing at a club in the same town. He enlists the help of one
of his friends and the boys set out on the streets and find her. Its one discovery after another while on the trail of Dawn.
This is a very exciting book with its many twists and turns. There is a certain amount of mystery involved as well as an
intriguing storyline with often times very humorous portions. This is a must-read for those tweens who enjoy a story
where an ordinary boy makes himself known and sets his boring life on a more exciting track. This book would definitely
be enjoyed by girls as well as boys, though. There will be portions where you will be cackling with laughter. You will
never do "the chicken dance" the same way again.