Cheerful Chick, written by Martha Brockenbrough, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Leah S.
Summary: This book follows a chick who dreams of cheerleading and spreading joy in her barnyard. However, the grown-up animals are all too busy to join her cheer team. Nevertheless, she practices hard and makes sure all of her moves are pristine, and then she goes to the adults to try to recruit them to join her cheer squad. First, she goes to Mr. Pig, who is too busy eating to care about her cheer. Then, she goes to Ms. Pig, who isn’t in the mood to join her routine. Then, she goes to Mr. Sheep, who falls asleep during her pitch. Lastly, she goes to Mrs. Horse, performs her cheer, and then all but begs her to join. However, Mrs. Horse still says no. Chick realizes that no one will support her dreams, and she decides to quit cheer for good. However, her chicken friends see her in this slump and decide to create a cheer team made up of themselves and join her. Together, they create a routine for the barnyard animals just as the adults finish all of their work, and the whole barnyard rejoices in joy over the cheer squad’s routine.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This book portrays the familiar theme of never giving up on your dreams in a bright and fun way that kids are sure to identify with. The book is relatable in the sense that the main character aspires to be something that many elementary students also dream of becoming: a cheerleader. The conflict in the book is not too intense for a child to read, yet it does create a relatable scenario where a kid’s idea is rejected by an adult. This book goes on to teach a child that they should never give up, because with the right audience, their idea may land. For this broad and relatable theme, it is an enjoyable read and perfect for a casual book during free-choice reading time. It is also uplifting and energetic in story and illustration, so it is a perfect after-lunch read aloud when students are starting to feel drowsy. Most of the book is written and illustrated in a bright and positive manner, which represents the nearly endless motivation and optimism of the character. As the character gets rejected more and more, the pictures turn darker and the words become sadder, but they soon become bright and happy once again. The illustrations of the book are beautifully done and help to emphasize the mood and message of each page. The digital graphics allow the pictures to be soft and accurate, which gives a comforting sense for a child. The book is also written with funny dialogue and a rhyming scheme to keep children entertained and to encourage their understanding of the words because it is written in a fun way. Overall, this book portrays a common yet important message in a way perfectly suited for young readers. Hopefully, all readers will find their squad with others who lift them up.