Three Hens and a Peacock

by Lester L. Laminack, Henry Cole (Illustrator)

Overview

Laminack and Cole's hilarious book reveals what happens when some foolish farm animals decide to trade roles-and discover just how hard it is to do someone else's job.

The Tuckers' farm is a peaceful place: cows chew their cud, hens lay their eggs, and the old hound rests on the porch. Everyone has a job and no one complains. That is, until a hapless peacock suddenly falls off the back of a passing truck and stirs things up.

Soon, customers are flocking to the farm to see what all the fuss is about, and business is booming. But the hens don't like the newcomer getting attention while they stay cooped up doing all the hard work. The wise old hound sees the problem and helps his feathered friends orchestrate a job swap. What follows is the hilarious tale of three hens who get in way over their feathered heads, and one very distressed peacock who just can't figure out how to lay an egg.

Popular author Lester L. Laminack has created a comical look at what happens when we underestimate the value of others' work. Henry Cole's delightful illustrations heighten the story's humor and will have readers of all ages laughing out loud.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781561455645
Publisher:	Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
Publication date:	03/28/2011
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	442,720
Product dimensions:	9.70(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD590L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

Editorial Reviews

What might have been an ordinary be-yourself story is enhanced by Laminack's (Snow Day!) surprisingly thoughtful storytelling. Three hens on the Tuckers' farm are sick with envy when a peacock shows up and attracts the attention of passersby, drawing customers and electrifying the farm's roadside stand business. Laminack characterizes the hens with a fine ear for their Golden Girls outrage; they sound quite human. "We do all the work around here," fumes one. "I'd like to see that peacock lay one single egg." "Exactly," agrees another. "He just struts around screaming." The hens trade places with the peacock, dressing up in beads and ribbons and trying to attract customers—with predictable results. The warmth of the story is a bit overshadowed by the goggle eyes of Cole's (One Pup's Up) barnyard characters; the illustrations go for big guffaws and slapstick instead, and largely succeed. The final spreads—which suggest further complications with the arrival of an ostrich—add a final touch of humor, effectively keeping the book from feeling message-heavy. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

There is nothing new about the moral of this story—it is better to do your best at what you are best at than make a bad job of trying to be someone else. However, Lanimack's lively language and Coles amusing illustrations make this a fresh and effective illustration of the moral. When a peacock falls off a truck near the Tucker's farm stand, all kinds of passers-by stop to gawk—and buy. Everyone seems happy, except the 3 chickens who Cole gives a delightfully disgruntled air. The wise old hound dog suggests that the hens and the peacock trade jobs. But even all "gussied up" doing their most stellar strut, the hens can't get anyone to stop. The peacock is equally hopeless at laying an egg. In the end, the hound doesn't have to say a word. The peacock goes back to strutting and stopping traffic. The hens go back to laying and all is well. Reviewer: Mary Hynes-Berry

Children's Literature - Mary Hynes-Berry

K-Gr 3—On a beautiful summer day, a crate falls off a truck, and out pops a colorful peacock that wanders down the road and changes life on the Tuckers' farm. His fancy feathers draw the attention of passers-by, who now stop to buy eggs, corn, and tomatoes. Jealousy and drama erupt in the henhouse, so the hound strikes a deal between the feuding birds to switch jobs. While the peacock unsuccessfully attempts to lay eggs, the hens strut their stuff roadside, and go unnoticed. Once they return to what they do best, all seems quiet, until another crate falls off a truck by the Tuckers' farm and a new surprise arrives, which will create lots of guessing and discussion among children. Cole's engaging illustrations in watercolor, ink, and colored pencils are bold and humorous and explode with color. The three hens and peacock express their confusion, anger, and shock with popping eyes, pointy beaks out of joint, and plenty of wing flapping. Endpages are decorated with a delicate peacock feather motif. The huffy hens dressed in jewelry and hair ribbons as they try to attract attention are sure to evoke giggles at storytime or in a one-on-one setting. But the ending will amp up the interest and excitement as the crate with a little clue breaks open. A delightful choice for schools and public libraries.—Anne Beier, Clifton Public Library, NJ

School Library Journal