A lovely book about teamwork, with a little mystery.
A fun and creative cast of characters (including chickens!) that will be sure to keep kids engaged in the reading process.

My son loves any books related to chickens. The names of characters were cute as was the problem. It’s almost like a little mystery. They have to solve, and the musical component are fun and interactive.

The school eggs are about to hatch, but their mommy is nowhere to be found, so all the students reunite to get them together on time.
Sweet, funny and short.
Just exactly what you would expect to see in a school library, includes rhymes and problem solving.

The Chicken Predicament by Mary Rand Hess and Randy Preston is a lively story about a group of students who must work together to find their runaway chicken, Lady Cluckery, before the school day ends. With teamwork, quick thinking, and a touch of musical fun, they rescue her just in time to welcome her newly hatched chicks.

This was such a cute book that teaches teamwork and collaboration in a way that feels natural and fun, without making it too obvious that it’s the lesson. It’s a sneaky and engaging way to help little kids learn about cooperating with one another to accomplish something big. The illustrations are bright and colorful, and the diverse cast of characters makes the story feel inclusive and relatable. I especially loved the helpful guide at the end that offers ideas on how to talk about teamwork and collaboration with children, making it a great resource for parents, teachers, or caregivers. This is the perfect story to share with the little ones in your life, especially those who enjoy lively, interactive tales.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I received an electronic ARC from Free Spirit Publishing through NetGalley.
Readers see Dr. Preston's class impatiently waiting for chicks to hatch. It's Friday afternoon and everyone wants to see them before the weekend. When they head to the coop, they discover Lady Cluckery, the mom, is missing. I appreciate that the authors show their disorganized approach to searching before problem solving and working as teams to search for the hen. Great discussion point for families and classes to brainstorm how they would search. Fortunately, they find the hen and get her back just before the chicks hatch. The class heads to their homes for the weekend celebrating the three chicks. Don't miss the informative text at the end. These offer help with teamwork and problem solving for all ages. The illustrations are brightly colored and add details to the story. I love how well the song lyrics blend in with the overall story.

It is part comic book, part musical, all endearing. Honestly, it had me at "Lady Cluckery" as the name of the chicken. This is a cute little story about working together and singing while you do it. The artwork is also vibrant and lovely.

This is a cute picture book about how working together will work better than working separately. The predicament in question is that the mother hen has wandered away from her eggs, and the children have to find her before they leave for the weekend.


And like all good books about cooperation, working together, the kids do find the hen in question, and return her to the nest, just in time for the chickens to hatch.


I like the idea of kids working together. I have some problems with the chicken herself. I know it is a picture book, and the point is showing how to solve a problem. I just wish someone had bothered to look up what sort of chicken a) lays blue eggs b) how long eggs take to pip. Other than that, I will let other inaccuracies go, for artistic license. :)


All in all, besides the chicken facts, this is a great story to engage the reader as they try to figure out the fate of the mother hen, and sing to her, and her chicks while they hatch.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published on the 23rd of September 2025.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

This is a super cute children's book about a classroom chicken getting lost. Maybe if the coop was built better, Lady Cluckery (love that name) would have never escaped. Remember, if the chicken can get out, the wolf can get in (no scary wolves here, just saying).

Absolutely loved the illustrations and all the chicken puns.