cover image Chicken Little

Chicken Little

Sally Hobson. Simon & Schuster, $14 (1pp) ISBN 978-0-671-89548-8

Hobson (Three Bags Full) lures the reader into this venerable tale with the densely saturated colors and dramatic perspectives of her illustrations, but the dark spin on the ending might overwhelm the younger members of the intended audience. In this version, Chicken Little and her flock of doom-saying fowl, accepting Foxy-Loxy's offer to escort them to the king, follow the guileful creature to his lair, never to emerge-on the final page, Foxy-Loxy is shown licking his jowls. Hobson establishes a slightly sinister air with the opening spread, a vertiginous aerial view of the acorn as it plummets toward Chicken Little's head. Oak, leaves and Chicken herself cast mysterious purple shadows, which contrast splendidly with the autumnal palette of hunter-green roller-coaster horizons, caramel-colored sun and lollipop-like trees. Ages 3-7. (Oct.)