The chicken dance

Jacques Couvillon

Book - 2007

When eleven-year-old Don Schmidt wins a chicken-judging contest in his small town of Horse Island, Louisiana and goes from outcast to instant celebrity, even his neglectful mother occasionally takes notice of him and eventually he discovers some shocking family secrets.

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Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 6-9-Don Schmidt, 11, has lived most of his young life in obscurity, still being called "New Kid" by his classmates, even though he has been attending school with them for years. At home on the chicken farm, he's almost as invisible, living in the shadow of his who disappeared, with his birthday going unnoticed by his parents. He keeps track of the fights between his dysfunctional parents, each one ending with his mother declaring how much she hates living among chickens. Don does find some happiness and unexpected notoriety after he becomes the youngest kid ever to win the Horse Island Dairy Festival Chicken Judging Contest. Everyone suddenly knows his name and wants to buy his eggs. Don's life begins to change and family secrets are revealed. On the surface, Jacques Couvillon's novel (Bloomsbury, 2007) is a story about a boy and his chickens, but it soon become apparent that there is a lot more going on. The author grew up on a Louisiana chicken farm, and the descriptions here are spot on. Steven Boyer's portrayal of a boy trying to make a name for himself and become comfortable in his own skin is as charming and heartwarming as the story itself. With distinct voices for each character, Boyer's narration keeps the story moving and captivates listeners.-Stephanie A. Squicciarini, Fairport Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Eleven-year-old Don Schmidt lives on a chicken farm on Horse Island, La. His parents detest chickens, but are forced to keep them due to some peculiar conditions set forth in a relative's will. Don, who comes to love the chickens, becomes the youngest person to ever win the Horse Island chicken-judging contest and, as a consequence, a local celebrity. As this funny and heartwarming saga about pursuing one's passions unfolds, a mysterious and darker story is revealed. When he stumbles upon a birth certificate that bears his own birth date and an unfamiliar name, Don begins a quest to find out the truth about himself and his sister Dawn. His parents have told him she died years ago from scarlet fever, a truth that will ultimately help him to understand the tensions and unhappiness that have long been the defining characteristics of his home life. Young readers' hearts will ache for na™ve, vulnerable Don as his parents forget his birthday and ignore his victory at the chicken-judging contest, and swell with pride for him as he extends compassion and generosity in the face of complicated revelations and the difficult choices that follow. (Fiction. 11-14) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.