Extraordinary Warren: A Super Chicken by Sarah Dillard (review)

Life on the farm stifles Warren, who tires of all the repetitive pecking day after day and declares himself “more than just an ordinary chicken!” His dreams are aided and abetted by sinister Millard the rat, who’s licking his chops as he dubs Warren “Chicken Supreme.” When Warren realizes that Millard’s celebratory chicken barbecue is going to feature the coop members as entrees rather than guests, Warren tries to warn them and heroically—and accidentally—saves the day. Dillard has a light hand in this easy reader, touching with gentle absurdity on the desire to be extraordinary and adding in some amusing details (Warren, for instance, befriends an egg). Unfortunately, the plot meanders off into strange directions (chicken flying lessons suddenly appear) and loses momentum, and the dénouement involves too many devices and not enough punch. The digital illustrations have a tidy perkiness, with trim lines and simple backgrounds; with its frequent panel sequences and speech bubbles, the layout resembles an airy graphic novel. The easygoing layout and friendly charm of the dialogue may still appeal to early readers, who may appreciate the hint that subsequent adventures are to come.