Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer

Charming premise, illustrations and main character, but confusing at times as Sophie writes letters to three different people, not all who are living in her present world. I loved Sophie's pluck and perseverance. Henrietta, the first unusual chicken, was a kick, especially her expressions!

At first Sophie, or Soficita Brown, isn’t happy with her family's move to the farm her father inherited from her Great Uncle Jim. It's quite a change from crowded Los Angeles, where she had friends, now she’s miles away from town and doesn’t know anyone, except the local letter carrier. So

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she starts writing letters to dead people, her abuelita Mariposa who’s in “A Better Place Than This Farm.” Then to her Great Uncle Jim in Valhalla (because his “great-grandad was Norwegian”). She needs advice. She’s discovered a very unusual, small, white, angry chicken who can levitate jam jars and lays glass eggs. Then an invisible chicken appears and disappears, and at the same time a chicken thief with a red-tailed hawk that’s able to transform itself into a chicken. Some of the poultry in rural California is very unusual!

Jones and Kath have created a delightful fantasy reminiscent of Roald Dahl. Sofia’s transition into and acceptance by her new community, aided by sympathetic elders from beyond, is told and drawn in a lively style incorporating information about chicken breeds and care the way Herman Melville sandwiches information about whales and whaling into Moby Dick.

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Sophie's not super excited about moving to the farm her father inherited from a great-uncle, but if she's going to live in the country, at least she can have some chickens, right? And then the chickens start showing up on their own, identified by the neighbors as birds that used to belong to

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Great-Uncle Jim. But these chickens have some . . . interesting . . . abilities. And it turns out that Sophie is not the only one who wants these chickens. Where are the chickens coming from -- and who is trying to take them away?

This book, written in epistolary style, is just as fun and quirky as you might expect from the title. I, too, had chickens when I was Sophie's age (though mine were just ordinary ones) so that might have influenced me somewhat in favor of this book, but I believe country folks and city dwellers alike will find this story delightful.

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Chickens with apparent super powers and a bit of magical realism mean business is not as usual down on the farm where Sophie and her parents move after her Great Uncle Jim dies. Sophie narrates her month of learning how to keep chickens in letters she writes to her late grandmother, Uncle Jim, and

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the mysterious owner of a farm supply company. Kids might be confused by the odd occurrences that pop up throughout the book...or they may have the imagination to go with the flow.

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There aren’t too many epistolary novels for children. This is a fun one with a lot going for it. Young Sophie moves with her parents to an old farm they inherited after Great Uncle Jim dies. Transplanting from Los Angeles is tough: they are isolated, lonely, and at a bit of a loss for what to do

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with the farm and its decades-long accumulations of stuff. Sophie begins writing letters to Uncle Jim, and her Abuelita (grandmother), also recently deceased. The letters are lonely and reflective and curious. Sophie asks them both for advice about making friends, about how to help her parents through their dire financial situation, about the awkwardness of being the only brown person in her new environment. Sophie also begins corresponding with Agnes of the Redwood Farm Supply Company, writing for advice and information concerning a chicken she has discovered on their property that is… unusual. Sophie gradually discovers more unusual chickens, as well as a neighbor who appears to be trying to steal Sophie’s chickens. The story’s resolution is satisfying, as Sophie earns a place in her new community, has an occupation, and a ray of hope for her struggling family.

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Sophie Brown is transplanted from LA to a small farm her family inherited. She writes letters to her deceased uncle and Grandmother and also Agnes at Redwood Farm Supply. She finds out she has magical chickens that she inherited also and learned how to take care of them.

I have to say, this book is rather adorable. Although a lot of the middle grade novels I read are steeped in magic, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer would probably fall under magical realism. Sophie's family feels real. They've fallen on hard times, and are trying to adapt to

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living in a new place. All Sophie wants is something to cling to. Something to call her own. Enter the magic, interestingly enough, in the form of chickens.

Sophie gets my love as a narrator. This story is told in a series of letters, which are almost like her diary entries. See, Sophie tends to write to her grandmother and her uncle. Both of whom have passed away. It's as though writing to them helps her feel connected, and figure things out. I loved this part. Seeing her thoughts on paper and feeling her emotions made this a great read. After all, we're most honest when we don't think anyone else will see what we write.

The magical aspect of this is what didn't really catch my attention. While it was cute, it felt a little too juvenile for my taste. That's not to say young readers won't love it. In fact, I'm certain they will. It's definitely a breath of fresh air to see a young girl interested in farming and the outdoors. One who understands hard work, and isn't afraid to try. Although it didn't vibe with me, I see Sophie being a great role model for younger readers! She's a sweetheart.

So, three stars it is! If you have a young reader with an interest in chickens, this would be a great book to give them. There are little pieces of information about each chicken featured, some fun worksheets on how to care for them, and even a recipe (don't worry, not for chicken) thrown in. Overall, it's a cute package. Enjoy!

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If you love Roald Dahl's children's stories, but hate some of the attitudes, this is a good book for you to read. This is an absolutely adorable story of a middle school kid who inherits her great-uncle's unusual chickens after her parents inherit his farm. Complete with a villain who wants the

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chickens for evil purposes, low grade farce about keeping the chickens safe, and a range of fabulous supporting characters.

The story comes through entirely through the letters that Sofia writes -- those that are sent, such as to the chicken supply company, and those that are not, such as to Sofia's abuela --and there is such an innocence to much of it.

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For the couple days I was carrying this around reading it, I just wanted to throw it in people's faces, saying, "Look at this grumpy chicken!! She can open latches and lay glass eggs!!! She's so grumpy!!!!! Ahhhhh!!!!!"

Oh yes. I loved this.

children's fiction (2nd grade and up? there is a little bit of violence wherein a rooster gets eaten/mauled and baby chicks have apparently been offed with a shovel, but chapters are short and might make a good readaloud); magic chickens with incidental ethnicity (Sophie is Mexican/"brown" but

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that's not the main part of the story).

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This book is good fun -- mysterious chickens, a new life on a farm, and a little girl with a great letter-writing ability.