August 16, 2021
Gladys isn’t really magic—she’s just an ordinary chicken with orange feathers, a bright pink comb, startled eyes, and a tendency to “ploop” out an egg at opportune moments. But back in “Ancient Times”—a phrase seemingly portrayed in a Grecian font—those who find themselves in Gladys’s company also seem to find their wishes fulfilled: from a gawky, tan-skinned shepherd who grows into a muscled hunk, to a cloistered brown-skinned princess who yearns for adventure and ends up on a pirate ship. So they celebrate Gladys’s seeming powers in story and song (“Glaaaaadys the Maaaaagic Chickkkkcken,/ Abra-cock-a-doodle-dee-doo!”), and the myth grows, while the oblivious chicken hunts for her next worm. Rubin (High Five) and Rex (On Account of the Gum) fracture mythology left and right, with a performance-worthy, aside-heavy text and comically dramatic digital cartooning. Though the scrolls and temples and toga-wearing sometimes mix questionably with stereotypical portrayals in pursuit of “Ancient Times,” Gladys’s feathered manifestation of that very human desire to “see magic in the world” is nothing to cluck at. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM Partners. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.
October 1, 2021
A ravenous chicken leads the humans of the Ancient Times on a riotous romp. Gladys begins her life as a dancing chicken living on a mountain with a Shepherd Boy, but her knack for being in the right place at the right time launches her on an incredible adventure. Touted as a magical wish-granting chicken, Gladys is spoiled, stolen, gifted, and bartered, until she finds her unlikely way home. Maybe Gladys is magical, maybe not, but either way, there's no doubt that few chickens have led such an exciting life as she! Written with a cheeky tone, this offbeat story puts a modern spin on exaggerated archetypal characters known only by their capitalized titles, including a Traveling Merchant, the Brave Swordsman, the Learned Princess, and the Fearsome Pirate. An unnamed narrator adds humor that will appeal to elementary-age kids as well as adults. "Ancient Times" dialogue set on unfurling scrolls adds another comedic layer--as does Gladys' penchant for "plooping" out an egg when faced with a surprise. Gladys' rainbow-tinted plumage is set off by equally vibrant background hues. The painterly illustrations mix full- and double-page art with smaller, sequential artwork to achieve a cinematic effect. Melodramatic facial expressions and body language bring the characters, depicted with a range of skin tones, hair colors, and body types, to life. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Flamboyant illustrations, unexpected adventures, and larger-than-life characters anchor this zany read-aloud. (Picture book. 5-10)
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Starred review from September 15, 2021
Grades K-2 *Starred Review* In this magical (not to mention hilarious) tale from "Ancient Times," a chicken that grants wishes--or maybe just has a real knack for being around when wishes are granted--passes through the hands of a shepherd boy who wishes he were beautiful, a pouty teenage princess delighted to be swept away to sea by a dashing pirate, and several others on the way to becoming a legend. In Rex's rolling, rambunctious illustrations, Gladys, ejecting the occasional egg and positively radiating cluelessness, floats through the brisk action alongside comically theatrical figures and undulating scrolls of dialogue printed in an appropriately geometric type style. Misadventure soon follows misadventure in quick succession on the way to an unlikely happy-ever-after reunion with the shepherd boy, who has achieved his wish by growing up to become a dazzling hunk. In the annals of fabulous fowl, surely Gladys reigns supreme, and readers wishing themselves to see "magic in the world" will join the princess in singing her praise: "Her dancing is enchanting, / And her eggs are tasty too. / Glaaaaadys the Maaaagic Chiiiiicken, / Abra-cock-a-doodle-dee-doo!" HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Everybody loves Adams! Rubin's Dragons Love Tacos and Rex's Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich were best-sellers. What else could happen here?!
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