Title: Randy Bamboo In Chicken City

Author: RC Beaird

Illustrator: Amy Koch Johnson

Publisher/Year: CreateSpace/2015

Blurb (from back cover): ‘Chicken City’ is an exciting tale about a kid from the city moving to the country with his family. Join this suspense filled adventure as Randy raises chickens and hopes for eggs that he can one day sell.

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Randy Bamboo is a boy with a lot of personality, energy, and imagination. He lives in the city, but can’t wait to move to the country with his family and finally be a “good old country boy”. He’s most excited about raising his very own chickens. A few weeks after settling into their new country home, Randy’s father takes him to the local feed store to buy several baby chicks. And that’s where the real adventure begins. Randy soon learns that taking care of chickens isn’t as easy as he thought it would be. Feeding, watering, cleaning up droppings, and protecting his flock from coyotes, were all his responsibility. And then he had to wait six long months to get his first egg!

Randy Bamboo In Chicken City is well-written, nicely paced, and fun to read. It would be a good choice for children who have just begun to read on their own. Content and word-length, as well as the message of learning responsibility and the discussion questions in the back of the book, make this story suitable for that age group as well. Children of all ages will enjoy the book’s colorful illustrations and the Chicken City song that’s included at the end. And if you’re interested in learning a little something about raising chickens, Randy Bamboo In Chicken City can help. I learned a lot!