Review of The Chickens Build a Wall by Jean-François Dumont

Authors

Emily C. Hartman, Cedarville UniversityFollow

Publisher

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

City

Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America

Date of Publication

2013

ISBN

978802854223

Date of Review

2013

Disciplines

Library and Information Science | Modern Literature

Keywords

Children's literature, reviews, chickens, farm, tolerance

Review

When a hedgehog arrives in the barnyard one day, the chickens panic at the sight of a stranger and begin to blame him for everything that goes wrong. They decide to build a very high wall around the henhouse to protect themselves, but when it is completed months later, they discover that they have shut the hedgehog in with them! The chickens and the hedgehog eventually get used to each other, and life in the barnyard goes back to normal. Originally written in French, the translated text is a little flat, and some of the vocabulary may cause problems for young readers. However, the book provides a good starting point for discussion: the creatures of the barnyard echo many of the good and bad comments readers may have heard or will hear from their community, and the initially paranoid chickens can teach children a lesson about tolerance and friendliness. Dumont’s cheerful illustrations beautifully capture the many personalities of the barnyard. Recommended. Emily Hartman, Centennial Library Intern.

Recommended Citation

Hartman, Emily C., "Review of The Chickens Build a Wall by Jean-François Dumont" (2013). Library Intern Book Reviews. 89.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/intern_book_reviews/89

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