Catch That Chicken! - by Atinuke

Book Synopsis

The team behind Baby Goes to Market and B Is for Baby visit a Nigerian village for a humorous ode to childhood ingenuity.

Lami is the best chicken catcher in the whole village. Her sister may be speedy at spelling, her friend fast at braiding hair, and her brother brave with bulls, but when it comes to chickens, nobody is faster or braver than Lami. That is, until the day when Lami chases a little too fast, up the baobab tree, and reaches a little too far . . . ow! How can she catch chickens with an ankle that's puffed up like an angry lizard? Could it be, as Nana Nadia says, that quick thinking is more important than quick running? Award-winning author Atinuke celebrates Nigerian village life in a story vibrantly illustrated by Angela Brooksbank with a universal message at its heart.

Review Quotes

Brooksbank's vibrant illustrations have the look of quickly stroked pastels and teem with motion and activity. Chickens in many colors populate the pages, and the interactions among both adults and children emphasize the strong sense of community in this village. Brooksbank also makes excellent use of white space to focus in on Lami's love of chickens and her delight in pursuing them. A fun-filled, culturally rich tale that will delight readers young and older.
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Atinuke's well-paced text uses repetition, alliteration and seamless bilingual text to draw her audience into the story. It's nicely paired with Atinuke's previous illustrative partner (B Is for Baby; Baby Goes to Market) Angela Brooksbank's brightly colored, patterned and energetic mixed-media illustrations, which convey a strong sense of life within the bustling compound.
--Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review)

Set in a beautiful Nigerian village, this tale highlights the ingenuity of children in a humorous and lively manner. Many valuable lessons are embedded into the narrative, and readers will be inspired by Lami's resilience. The illustrations, created with mixed media, are cheerfully colorful and alluring in their detail. Children will enjoy this lively tale of positivity and innovation.
--School Library Journal

Baby Goes to Market team Atinuke and Brooksbank tell the story of Lami, a West African girl with beaded braids, bright green sandals, and a talent for catching chickens...The story stars a strong girl of color and offers a look at life in a close-knit community, a setting in which every gift contributes to the whole.
--Publishers Weekly

Living in a small African village compound, perhaps in the author's home country of Nigeria, Lami is cheerfully energetic, always ready to take off chasing a chicken, with beaded hair bouncing happily. The text is lively and snappy, full of well chosen verbs and adverbs punctuated with smooth alliteration. The mixed-media illustrations portray sunny scenes of family life.
--Booklist

Humorous and colorful mixed-media illustrations depict a tightknit community, with entertaining details about how Lami's poultry obsession plays out in daily life; even while getting her hair braided, for example, she lunges for a chicken passing by. A thoughtful mix of double-page spreads, single pages, and occasional panel-style illustrations allows for quicker or slower pacing throughout. Lively chase scenes and funny poultry antics make for a laugh-out-loud preschool adventure.
--The Horn Book

About the Author

Atinuke was born in Nigeria and spent her childhood in both Africa and the UK. As a traditional oral storyteller, drawing upon her recent Yoruba ancestry, she visits schools and theatres all over the world. Atinuke is the author of the bestselling Anna Hibiscus fiction series, as well as the No. 1 Car Spotter series, and the picture books Baby Goes to Market and B Is for Baby illustrated by Angela Brooksbank and Hugo illustrated by Birgitta Sif. Atinuke lives on a mountain overlooking the sea in west Wales and supports the charity SOS Children's Village. Visit her online at atinuke-author.weebly.com

Angela Brooksbank, a former designer and art director in children's book publishing, is the illustrator of B Is for Baby and Baby Goes to Market, both by Atinuke. She lives in London.