Thank you for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of your book. This is a great story expressing personality and unwavering commitment to oneself inspite of tremendous disagreement from family and friends. My children loved listening to this inspiring story and wanted to hear it again. This is a keeper!

If you ask Lena, she's a dinosaur. If you ask her family, she's a chicken. Lena has always been different, she's not scared like her family, and deep, deep down she knows she is a dinosaur. Through bravery, and lots of noise, Lena learns that its okay to believe in yourself and that, yes, chickens really are dinosaurs. This adorable picturebook is both fun to read and informative.

Me and my kiddos (even the teenager! 😆) had sooo much fun reading Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur!) 🐔🦖. My three-year-old, who loves dinos and farm animals, was completely captivated by the story—the illustrations were so engaging that he shouted, "OH NO, WATCH OUT FOR WEASEL!" 🦊😱

We also had an absolute blast making the chicken-dino sounds—I'm sure our house will be echoing with "KKKRRAAGGGHHH!" for weeks to come! 😂🐔💨

This book is perfect for any setting with children—home, school, library, you name it! 📚🏡🏫 It offers plenty of wonderful lessons to explore:
✨ Chickens really are dinosaurs! 🦖➡️🐔
✨ You can be strong and courageous when facing a bully! 💪😤
✨ Encouraging others to stand up for themselves and their friends is so important! 🤝💙

And most importantly, this book beautifully reminds us that each of us—and all of God's creatures—are uniquely and wonderfully made. 🌎✨ We all have something special that brings light to the world, just like Lena. 🌟🐔💛

An absolute must-read for little (and big!) dino lovers! 🦖📖🔥

This review has been shared on:
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“Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur!)” by Linda Bailey is a charming story about a brave chicken named Lena who refuses to back down. When a weasel threatens the safety of the flock, Lena steps up with her dino-sized confidence to save the day.
My 6-year-old found this book both fun and hilarious—his verdict? A definite 5-star read! As a school librarian, I can see this book being a fantastic resource for teachers, especially for lessons on friendship and standing up for others. It would work well in a guidance lesson about handling bullies or a health lesson on embracing who you are. With its engaging story and important themes, this book has endless possibilities for use in the elementary classroom.
Thanks to NetGallery and Tundra Book Group for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed Lena the Chicken ( but really a dinosaur), it was a very cute story about being yourself even if people don't understand. I liked how the author showed the character being brave by standing up for herself and defending her friends. The the science fair was a nice touch, showing the connection from dinosaurs to birds. I liked that the author included a page with extra information about the bird/dinosaur connection so that the parents are able to discuss this amazing tidbit with their children.

One thing I do want to mention as a person who has worked with small children for a long time, the onomatopoeia used in the book (rgah, pdok, and Kragh) might be a little too difficult for children just learning to read and/or have trouble sounding out words. In my experience it is easier for emerging readers to recognize and pronounce words they see more often such as "roar" and "bak".

Overall I enjoyed the story as did my children. It would be a fun read for the classroom.

Lena the chicken is such a fun story about a feisty chicken who knows she has what it takes to protect the flock! When push comes to shove, she shows the flock just what she is made of… and so are they! They all reach down and embrace the dinosaur in their DNA. We really enjoyed the artwork and the fun story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Book Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun story about backyard chickens and their relation to dinosaurs! This book is fun to read with an engaging plot, colorful illustrations and enjoyable characters! A great book overall!!

*Thank you NetGalley and Tundra Book Group for this ARC!*

This book was adorable. It had a great message for young children about being able to be whatever they want to be, and about believing in yourself. The main character was engaging and someone that children will love. I had a blast reading this book and I cannot wait until I can have it on the shelves of the library.

An amusing and informative picture book about a chicken named Lena who knows that there's more to her kind than the small, feathery creatures they are today. Kids who love dinosaurs will be amazed by this book's ability to connect our world today with the myth-like creatures of the past.

Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur!) is an adorable and uplifting picture book about a pollito who wholeheartedly believes she’s a dinosaur. Through her unwavering confidence, she shows that chickens can embrace the traits they admire—strength, bravery, and uniqueness—regardless of how others perceive them. The illustrations are colorful and full of charm, bringing the humor and heart of the story to life. I love how the book seamlessly incorporates a scientific fact, making it both entertaining and educational—a definite plus! A great pick for kids who love dinosaurs and for anyone who needs a reminder that they can be whoever they want to be!

This was a super cute book ! Loved the little factual blurb at the end. My kiddo loved the illustrations throughout the book.

Generally speaking, I enjoyed this book. I thought that the full-page, silly, vibrant, warm, and cozy illustrative style was inviting and kept my attention. There were more full-page illustrations than not, which I think children would like. The townspeople appeared more diverse, and there was a visible, physically disabled person on the last page which isn’t as common in children’s books (at least from what I’ve seen when the books aren’t solely focused on disabilities). I think most of the language was developmentally appropriate for the age group that this book is aimed at, though some of the words would require a caregiver explaining it e.g. primeval. I think the only thing that didn’t really make sense was the science fair at the end. The point of a science fair is to conduct an experiment and report your findings, and 2/4 were not science fair appropriate topics. They were more like research topics. I also didn’t really understand the purpose of the book as there wasn’t much of a storyline to it. It seemed mostly about proving the chicken evolved from dinosaurs I guess? I’m not really sure.

This is a cute story about a very brave chicken who really believed in herself and shared her knowledge. Very cute illustrations.

Really cute story for kids! So many of them love dinosaurs so this book is such a cute and silly way to share with them this cool fact about chickens and dinosaurs! I also love the message about standing up and being brave in tough situations. Lots of silly dialogue and parts that would spark laughter and stories from kids who have chickens or live on a farm.

One of my favorite fun facts about chickens is that they are modern day dinosaurs. Naturally, I had to read Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur!) because of the title alone. Linda Bailey does not disappoint in this adorable children's book. Illustrated with original art by K-Fai Steele, Lena the Chicken is a fun and informative children's book! For chicken and dinosaur lovers alike, Lena will steal your heart with her personality and heroics. The illustrations are so fun and really stand out in a sea of books with generic AI art.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tundra Book Group, Tundra Books, and the author Linda Bailey for an ARC of Lena the Chicken in exchange for an honest review!

This is going to be a great book for all the dino-obsessed kids, and I think could be a really fun read-aloud/storytime book as well! I love that there's some endmatter explaining how dinosaurs and chickens are related. Fun, fast-paced, and a rollicking good time.

Lena is a chicken but thinks she's a dinosaur. She teaches her friends a thing or two about being a dinosaur, like self-defense, making noise, standing up for yourself, and sticking together. The book is really cute and delightful. It's great for both at home and in the classroom.

I LOVED the illustrations. I requested this one because my daughter loves chickens and dinosaurs. I will say you learn something new every day. I did not know that chickens were the closest living creatures to dinosaurs. The book was cute and a fun story. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A cute book about the evolution of a dinosaur to a chicken. The chicken saves the day using her dinosaur instincts.

Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur!)
by Linda Bailey
5 out of 5 stars
Expected publication: October 28, 2025

When Lena the chicken thinks she is a dinosaur, the other chickens make fun of her. One day, when she saves the coop, they all realize she really is a dinosaur.

This is a FANTASTIC book that merges a fictional story with real science. I LOVE the illustrations! The scientific facts about the relationship between birds and dinosaurs are written at a perfect level for children to understand and to launch older children into more research. This is truly a book that a whole family can enjoy.