PEG GETS CRACKIN'

It’s time for Peg and the other chickens to hatch, but she prefers to stay in her shell.

When Mama squawks “Time to get CRACKIN’, my little chickadees!” all the other chicks begin to break free, except for Peg. Finding herself alone, she starts to stretch until she pops all the way out of her shell. Getting back inside isn’t an option (she tries), so off she goes into the big wide world to find her mama and experience a joyful life as a “clucking, strutting, splashing, sunbathing, fun-loving…CHICKEN!” Renfro’s delightfully simple, relatable story has an encouraging message: Breaking out on your own can be scary, but there’s so much to discover. Peg is an adorable fluffy chick with awkward, jointed legs and enormous googly eyes. The illustrations bring action words to life as Peg twirls, flips, and cartwheels around, half in and half out of her shell. There’s plenty to make readers smile, such as an image of Peg (still not fully emerged) smacking into a metal bucket or a spread on which she becomes “Peg the egg with legs.” The pacing is just right for a preschool audience, with children getting enough of a sense of Peg to feel connected to the book, but it’s quick enough to hold short attention spans. If ever readers could identify with a chicken, Peg is surely the one.

An adorable tale with a meaningful life lesson.