Everyone, including brother Bilal, friend Fatima, sister Sadia, Nana Nadia, Daddy Danlami and Anuty Aisha, agrees that Lami is the fastest and best chicken catcher in their whole Nigerian village. Lami is so fast that the aunties in her village compound are always shouting Sannu! Sannu! Slow Down! as she chases chickens. But one day, Lami chases a chicken up the big baobab tree, and reaching for that runaway bird, she suddenly slips and falls. Oh dear, how can Lami chase chickens with a sprained ankle? After Nana Nadia tells her that quick thinking, not quick feet, is the way to catch chickens, can Lami come up with a new idea to do that? My young readers and I really loved this book, and not just because Lami is such an strong character, but it is a story is also a story about a close knit community, one that encourages and looks out for each other. The colorful mixed media illustrations tell Lami's story, but the milieu in which she lives was so detailed that it was fun for my young readers to explore and talk about what they revealed about the different aspect of life and culture in this village in Africa on almost every page. This is a book we've read over and over again and which is now part of our permanent class library.

A cute, sweet story of a little girl, Lami, who is the best at catching chickens in her village, until one day when she gets a little too enthusiastic about it and falls out of a baobab tree, spraining her ankle. With Nana Nadia's encouragement, Lami figures out a new method to catch chickens, retaining her place as best chicken catcher in the village.
There is so much to love about this story- it talks about everyone having something they're good at, and how that contributes to their community; it shows the importance of being careful and being aware of your surroundings and any potential dangers; it conveys the idea that sometimes there are other ways to deal with a situation or problem, and encourages thinking of other solutions; and it introduces a new culture, community, and way of living that many children are unfamiliar with. Also, there's that beautiful, vibrant artwork, so full of life and detail! I have great respect for Lami's chicken catching skills, by the way, chickens are not easy to catch!

#CatchThatChicken #NetGalley

Catch That Chicken is an absolutely delightful picture book about a brave girl who catches chickens in her village. This book is full of vivid, breathtaking illustrations perfect for showing kids the life of a girl living in an African village. However, this book is more than just pretty pictures. In scant, lyrical prose, Nigerian author Atinuke shows little readers how to harness their problem-solving skills, and the fact that there’s often an easier — and safer way — to do almost everything!

This little book is adorable!! Little Lami knows that everyone in her Nigerian village has an important job! A job they are good at and are responsible for completing to help life in the village run smoothly for everyone.
Lami's is chicken catching!! As the beautiful little chickens run around the village, kicking up dirt and eating bugs, Lami is fast at catching them and getting them where they need to be! She demonstrtes her chicken catching over and over until she tires t catch a chicken in a balboa tree and takes a nasty fall from the tree! Oops! maybe she should have been more careful! who's going to bring the chickens to grandmother now? But Lami is smart and uses her intelligence to problem solve and vatch the chicken grandmother needs anyway!

Terrific little book to help children learn about a community and culture they may know nothing about. Little Lami is so endearing and with her skill and persistence she proves herself to be a very important part of her village. This book gives the reader a wonderful opportunity to discuss the importance of everyone in the community down to the youngest members with young children. Discussing the jobs they have and the importance they have within their classroom and/or family children can be encouraged to feel a sense of belonging and pride, learn responsibility, and value their own worth,!
I'm ordering this book for my 2 year old grandaughter as soon as it's published!

This is a beautifully illustrated story about Lami, who is the best and fastest chicken catcher in her compound. She loves catching chickens so much, that it can lead to trouble. Her grandmother helps her learn new ways to overcome obstacles when an accident prevents her from catching chickens in her usual way. This story is great for illustrating to young children how it can be important to "think outside of the box" in a fun and entertaining way. Love this book.

As a person who grew up on a farm with lots and lots of chickens, I can appreciate that Lami is the best at catching chickens. It's hard work and I still can't catch one without help! I love the vibrant colors in each illustration and how it's easy to read and draws the reader in. Lami runs into some trouble with catching chickens, but with some smart thinking, she overcomes her obstacles.

This is a story about a little girl in a Nigerian village who's great at catching chickens.

I'm not really sure what else to say about it. It's a simple story, highlighting the girl's skill at catching chickens (until she falls out of a tree and sprains her ankle). I'm not a fan of the way crying was discouraged (after all, the kid was hurt), but that may be a cultural thing. The illustrations are cute and depict the bustling village and all of Lami's friends and relatives.

Those looking for picture books set in other countries might want to check this one out. It's a very simple story, though, probably best suited to younger readers.

Can Lami catch the chicken or will she be outmatched? I liked this story - it was fun and quick. The illustrations were busy and eye-catching. This is a topic that not everyone will be able to relate to - not everyone has practice catching chickens - but I think the fun and enjoyment in the text is understandable and will allow a new experience for readers. I do wish there had been more to the conclusion. It felt a bit abrupt. I do think children would like this story and looking at the wonderful details in the illustrations.

So fun!
Isn’t amazing how we can all be good and have different skill levels at different things we try? Isn’t it fun to do stuff that makes you happy?? Isn’t it also pretty amazing how we can think outside of the box to solve problems? To try something we’re used to a new way? To give our noggins space to grow?

I know right? It definitely is pretty great. Delighted in this book and little Lamí (and her Nana Nadia!).

Perfect for the classroom, at home, or a gift.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was great! I like that it was short and easy to read aloud. The illustrations were beautiful and the ending was sweet.

I am a big fan of this author and illustrator team. The illustrations are bright, colorful, and detailed. The text flows nicely. This would make for a great read-aloud. I like watching Lami have confidence but also learn there are more ways than one to accomplish something. Lami use hard work, determination, and quick wit to catch those chickens! It was also nice to see what the other children in the compound are good at doing.

As an African American reader/consumer I started this book with a kernel of skepticism in my brain. A black child chasing chickens evokes so many stereotypes, and I wondered how a childrens story could deflate all of that context and just be a story. After reading the book, I'm not sure it was successful in that aspect. Children may not understand, but the adult buying the book certainly will. The book walks a fine line in my opinion. I think the illustrations are beautiful (replace the rope on the tree with a lower branch), and they work well with the story. I admire Lami's dedication and ability to pivot despite a setback. Overall, I like the story, but am concerned about the context.

I really liked that this story explored how different people are good at different things, and told the story from a different cultural perspective. I also liked that it showed adaptation due to changing circumstances.

Atinuke is Nigerian, and I love the way she brings a village to life in this fun children's story. Cute illustrations and formatting make this a lovely and diverse addition to the childrens collection.

I received a free digital ARC through NetGalley. Anything by this author is an instant purchase for me. It’s the diversity your collection needs.

Lami lives in her village with her many aunties and lots of chickens. She loves to catch any chickens. One day she was catching that chicken and she had hurt herself. With the wisdom of her Nana, she becomes smart about catching the village chickens.

I loved this book. It is cultural diverse with the focus of family and community. You will fall in love with Lami and her community.

A Special Thank you to Candlewick Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This book is about a little girl who may not be good at many things but is the best at catching chickens. Then one day she has an accident and hurts herself because she was racing around too quickly to catch the chickens. She learns a strong lesson that you don't have to be fast moving to catch chickens, you can be fast thinking instead and get them to come to you.
I thought this book was lovely and the art work was really lovely too.
This is a great book for teaching children that you can do things a different way if you stop and think.

I'm a huge chicken fan so had to try this book out. Not a huge fan of the book, but enjoyed the idea of the bond between the girl and the chickens. This would be a good library choice for the lesson of getting hurt when you don't listen and to stop and think of a solution.

Childrens picture book. Lami lives in an African village (Ingram says Nigerian, but it is not specified in the text) and is the best at catching chickens. Others have their talents, but no one can catch chickens like Lami. But what is she to do when a hurt ankle limits her running ability? A beautifully illustrated story of an African village. The town scenes invite poring over to examine the details. The feeling of community and belonging is very clear. A great ownvoices story about Africa, this would be a wonderfully diverse selection to flesh out a chicken or farm themed storytime.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review an advanced copy of this title.

In her latest picture book, Atinuke gives us the lovable Lami, the best chicken catcher in her whole village, who learns that cleverness is as important as speed. As always, Atinuke sets this book in a Nigerian village, and her detailed illustrations give readers a vivid sense of village life. The text is fun and alliterative, with a lot of repetition, making it a good fit for storytimes and read-alouds. The book is also a good one for pre-readers and beginning readers because the alliterative text (Sister Stella is Speedy, Big Brother Bilal is Brave, etc) help reinforce letter sounds. Will especially appeal to animal lovers. And of course, Atinuke is one of the best multicultural picture-book writers in the game. A must-have for all public library collections. 3 to 8.