So excited to talk about CHICKEN BUTT! But, I swear, it’s not all about poultry arses. It’s actually hilarious and totally vegan friendly. I had to get it when I saw it because it looked so cute. It also made me think of a song that my friend Rachel and I made up in our Government class in high school—you know, a few years ago. It went like this:
Hey Boogerbutt
Hey Boogerbut
na na na na na Na Na Na. NA-NA-NA.
Hey Boogerbutt
Hey Boogerbutt
na na na na na Na Na Na. NA-NA-NA.
I know. Creative genius.
We also used to do the whole guess-what-what?-guess-what-what?-guess-what-what?-CHICKEN-BUTT! game, but…duh. Cool people do that. Right?
Anyway, I saw CHICKEN BUTT! and immediately flashed back to happy feelings.
CHICKEN BUTT! by Erica S. Perl
Illustr. by Henry Cole
Goodreads description:
You know what?
What?
Chicken butt!
The classic schoolyard joke has been recast as an irreverent picture book, with call-and-response parts for parent and child. The word repetition in Erica S. Perl’s text, and wonderfully comic illustrations by beloved artist Henry Cole, make this a particularly inviting book for new readers, as does the opportunity to “trick” a parent or other adult into participating in a very silly joke. The humor builds to a surprising and satisfying conclusion. Warning: Kids will want to read this one over and over and over again!
My Review
First of all, this book is not for lame-os.* If all you ever want at story time is for your kids to sit quietly while you listen to yourself speak, hoping they’ll fall asleep so you can go enjoy your Puccini and sardine puffs, then CHICKEN BUTT! is probably not for you. Go read them a dictionary or something. Your kids will fall asleep and have plenty of material for their therapist later.
BUT
If you love the sound of your child laughing until you think he just might pee his pants
If you love the feel of your little four year old’s pudgy fingers on your cheeks, while she shouts, “You know what!” into your face
If you love to see your kid running around the room, flailing his arms in the air, singing “monkey butt, duckie butt, elephant butt, any-animal-I-can-think-of butt”
Then, CHICKEN BUTT! is for you.
Clearly, this book can be exhausting. It’s a bit like giving kids noisy toys—you give them lots of material to make you crazy. But it’s a good kind of crazy, because every giggle and wiggle lights you up inside and makes you feel like you have fulfilled your purpose in life.
I have no idea what teachers would make of this book, though—maybe this is one to read at the end of the day right before Mom and Dad come to collect the rugrats, but I’d say it’s one to have in the library for sure. Your kids will LOVE you and think you’re the coolest teacher in the world. Because you don’t just teach them their letters and colors and numbers—you teach them laughter.
I’ve never had so much fun reading a book with my four year old. She has memorized every word in this book. And yeah, it’s simple. No major lessons to be learned in this. Wait. I take that back. Here’s what your child will learn:
It is OKAY for adults to romp and play and laugh and be silly so-yeah-that-means-that-someday-when-you’re-all-grown-up-you-can-too-kid. You enjoy the sound of their laughter sokeepitupkiddo. And you have the best, most bounciest reading lap in the whole world because no one can read this book sitting still. Oh, and one more: laughter makes every bump, bruise, and stolen toy seem far, far away.
So. Yeah. CHICKEN BUTT! is a keeper. You’ll get a lot of mileage with it, because they’ll ask you to read it over and over. And it’s crazy fun. I recommend reading it when you need a boost of energy.
Recommended for ages 4-8.
Caveat: If you read the book like a dry stick in the mud because the joke is completely lost on you and you can’t for even three minutes pretend like you totally get four year old humor, then the joke will likely be lost on your kid, too, and you will sap all the fun out of CHICKEN BUTT! and possibly life.
*Not trying to imply that if you don’t like the book you’re a lame-o. I’m merely saying it’s not for lame-os. But if you like reading the dictionary to your kid so you can get them to sleep so you can listen to Puccini and eat sardine puffs, I will worry about you.
***************************************
Be sure to check out what the other Bookanistas are recommending today!
Christine Fonseca is amazed by DESIRES OF THE DEAD
Elana Johnson is in love with PERILOUS
Myra McEntire is wowed by A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO MYSTIC FALLS
Shannon Messenger is awestruck by THE MARBURY LENS and giving away a signed hardcover
Megan Miranda is captivated by MATCHED
Beth Revis is blown away by DEMONGLASS
Lisa and Laura Roecker share a YA review from an actual YA: a "Guestanista Review" on THE REPLACEMENT
Bethany Wiggins is stunned by STRANGE ANGELS
Kick-Butt Review!
ReplyDeleteChicken Butt! My youngest is seven. I better run out and buy it before it becomes useless at my house =)
ReplyDeleteWe teachers love this kind of thing - read it to the kids just before they are due to go home ;)
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the UK has a UK equivalent of the chicken butt joke?!??!!?!? Maybe it'll be chicken arse?!?!? Hmmm!!
ReplyDelete:-) What a fun book!! Take care
x
Kind of makes me wish I still had a four-year-old.
ReplyDeleteYeah, this review makes me wish my daughter was younger again. I miss those days. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteGreat review. I am always looking for books to give friends with younger kids. Sweet!
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm sure my immature family (including me) would love this one! We already say What? Chicken butt? etc all the time!
ReplyDeleteOh I think my kids at the library would LOVE this--need to check it out! Thanks, Carolina!
ReplyDeleteHa ha, this sounds like a hysterical book that I'm sure my 5-yr-old would love. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteOh, this looks so cute! My daughter will love it!
ReplyDeletexoxo -- Hilary
Carol, when I read the beginning of this post I thought: "Carol has lost her freaking mind." Then I got to the actual review and everything made sense.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look out for this one as a gift for my friends with small children. Sounds like they'll love it!
Jai
I'm still stuck at Chicken Butt...and Nananananana...and I have this image of you Cee, skipping around the room, chanting "Chicken Butt" at the top of your lungs and following it up with Nanananananana!!! - so much so that it freaks out the gold fish...
ReplyDeleteSaid gold fish promptly rolls a joint, pops two Valium and pours a scotch on the rocks - not ice mind you - but the real rocks in his fish bowl - so that he can get stoned and wiped at the same time and hopefully get "CHICKEN BUTT" out of his head...
(Solid Gold Review btw)
Okay--first: I think I want to see a Carol Vlog of that song. Yep. I definitely think that needs to exist.
ReplyDeleteSecond: Awesome review. Picture books totally don't get enough attention these days, and this sounds like a great one. I bet my niece would love it. I think I'll have to pick it up. :)
Dude, this is awesome. I think my daughter would love this book! She's silly by nature.
ReplyDelete=D funny review ^^
ReplyDeleteHey Boogerbut
na na na na na Na Na Na. NA-NA-NA.
Love it ^^
So wait . . . you don't read the dictionary to your kids? Seriously? ;)
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't think my 6 and 4 year old would like this book. NOT!
Lol, I can always count on you to brighten up my day :P
ReplyDeleteGreat review. This book may be written for 4-8 year olds, but I bet everyone who reads or listens to this book will be laughing out loud by the time they get to the last page, if not before! Thanks for sharing about this funny book. Great cover!
ReplyDeleteI admit that as an Aussie, I had to get somebody to explain the joke to me. I'm there now, giggling with everybody else! This sounds hilarious!
ReplyDelete