Review by Booklist Review
When detective chicks Dirt, Sugar, Poppy, and Sweetie post a flier on a backyard tree, a little blue jay (aka Weird Blue Chicken) comes to the coop asking them to find her missing birdhouse. After interrogating their client, Dirt and Sugar start sleuthing, a process resulting in a little action, a moment of terror, and lots of laughs. This second book in the Chicken Squad series has several attractive features for young readers: the amusing story is relatively long (120 pages) but easy to read, with large type, short sentences, wide-spaced lines, and plenty of appealing illustrations. A funny beginning chapter book.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2014 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Dirt, Sugar, Poppy, and Sweetie, otherwise known as the Chicken Squad, are back in another comical backyard adventure. When a little blue bird enters the chicken coop, Sugar and Dirt decide to help the "weird blue chicken" recover her stolen birdhouse. After some rather clumsy investigating, the chicks realize that the house-napper is none other than their brother Poppy. They also discover that in addition to the missing birdhouse, Grumpy Squirrel's acorns have disappeared. With the help of the little bird, the Chicken Squad set out to end the crime spree that has swept the backyard. Cronin creates a humorous story of bumbling detectives who in the end, manage to save the day. Young listeners will enjoy piecing together the clues along with the heroes. Adam Grupper voices J.J. Tully, the retired search-and-rescue dog who keeps an eye on the Chicken Squad, and Michele O. Medlin voices the remaining animals. Both narrators succeed in portraying likable characters who will appeal to beginner readers. VERDICT Fans of Geronimo Stilton and Kung Pow Chicken are sure to delight in the antics of the Chicken Squad.-Amanda Spino, Ocean County Library, NJ (c) Copyright 2015. 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 Horn Book Review
Retired search-and-rescue dog J. J. Tully reintroduces the "four featherballs" from The Chicken Squad (rev. 5/14) -- Dirt, Sugar, Poppy, and Sweetie -- then moves offstage to let their silly, bumbling adventure unfold. The little chicks post a flyer advertising their services -- finding lost things, fixing broken things, getting clients out of trouble, or bringing trouble to them. A number of mysteries collide: a blue jay has lost her birdhouse; Grumpy Squirrel has lost all of his acorns; and one of the chicks, Poppy, seems to be at large as well. Full-page black-and-white illustrations and spot art use a range of exaggerated perspectives to escalate the characters' personalities and bring a bit of intrigue to every page turn. The chicks resolve things without the help of J. J. Tully this time, who shows up again in the epilogue to sum up the whole escapade as simply as possible: "Never trust a weird blue chicken. Plus eat some fruit." Full of comic turns and silly details, this early-chapter-book mystery allows new readers the satisfying privilege of being savvier than any of its featherbrained characters. julie roach (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Chickens Dirt, Sugar, Poppy and Sweetie are back! These chickens profess to solve all sorts of mysteries, but soon it becomes evident that they are more likely just to stir up trouble. Luckily, retired search-and-rescue pooch J.J. Tully is keeping an eye on all things chicken. In this outing, a blue jay (or weird blue chicken, if you are on the Chicken Squad) reads the squad's flier and comes for help. Someone has taken the jay's house, and the little bird wants it back. After a hilarious cross-examination, Dirt and Sugar realize that brother Poppy is the thief. But whyand howdid little Poppy move the wooden house? The plot thickens when a squirrel shows up, complaining of stolen acorns and requesting a hammer. These mysteries sort themselves out in a typically comic manner, with Sweetie, the littlest chicken, relegated to an old shoe, playing a critical role. Cornell's frequent black-and-white art turns up the volume on the humor and helps new chapter-book readers keep up with the plot. Tully makes a brief appearance at the beginning and end, taking all the credit. Everyone learns a lesson: The blue jay learns the difference between inches and feet, the squad learns to listen to Sweetie, and the squirrel learns to eat fruit. New readers have a terrific new series to laugh over. (Mystery. 6-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
