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Reviewed by:
  • City Chickens
  • Jeannette Hulick
Heppermann, Christine . City Chickens. Houghton, 2012. 53p. illus. with photographs ISBN 978-0-547-51830-5 $16.99 R Gr. 3-5

This photoessay chronicles the work of Mary Britton Clouse and her husband, Burt, who have created an inner-city rescue shelter for abandoned and relinquished chickens in Minneapolis. Heppermann engagingly outlines Clouse's motivations ("Chickens are the most abused, exploited animals on the planet. . . . They are the ones who need friends the most"), her methods and shelter set-up, and, of course, the various chickens who have become temporary or permanent "guests." At a time when backyard chicken coops are becoming more common, the book offers kids and adults a timely and fresh perspective on pet poultry. On a page aimed at educators, the author suggests a source for alternative lessons to classroom hatching projects, since "hatching projects encourage the view that animals are disposable objects instead of beings requiring a lifetime of care and commitment." Brief information on caring for city chickens is also provided. The clear photographs and informative text provide strong evidence for the abuses chicken face and for their enormous appeal as pets. Although the compositions occasionally get a bit busy, the combination of multiple typefaces, numerous photos, muted earth tones, and decorative details generally results in an attractive, homespun-looking whole. Animal-loving city and country kids alike will find this worth clucking about; either way, adults should be prepared for the inevitable question afterwards: "Can we get a chicken?"

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