Be Patient, Little Chick

Be Patient, Little Chick

Written by Claude Clement Illustrated Erost

Readers Digest Young Families, 2001

19 pages

Picture Books

          I chose this book because I was searching for a book for my cousin.  She home-schools her daughters and is about to start their lesson on hatching chicks.  This book is about a little chick that is, essentially, too big for his britches. 

He doesn't think he needs any help and he can’t wait to go out into the world.  Since he is in such a hurry to grow up, he ends up making some not so great choices that get him into trouble.  He quickly learns that patience is an important part of growing up.

          The illustrations in this book are done water color and acrylic paints.  They are realistic type paintings done in warm colors true to nature.  The pictures are used by the author to demonstrate what is happening in the text.  The text type is informal.  The pictures look, in some places, like they could almost be photographs.  They are very beautiful. 

          I would use this book for my class that was about to start a science unit on hatching chicks.  It has a section at the end of the story that is about the life cycle of an egg.  It would also be a good story to read to impatient kindergarteners.  I like the idea of using this story for older students as an example of how to make your own stories about a life-like situation.  Also, it would be a good idea to ask the students to analyze themselves and talk or write about some times when they should have been a little more patient.  There are no awards for this book at this time.