BLUF: I am NOT a singer, but I had a great time trying to make up tunes with this one!

Overall: 4.5 ⭐
Plot/Lesson:° 4📍
Smiles: 4 😂
Illustrations: 5🖌️

Suggested Ages:
Read To: 3-10 y/o
Read By: 2nd through Parents y/o

Mom's Review:
This was such a delight to read! We all had fun trying to 'sing" the parts of the story where the words were lyrics - it is NOT my forte (pardon the pun!) but still so fun! The girls were giggling away at the chicken's escapades and "A" recounted how in the prior school year, her class had baby chicks in an incubator and were able to watch them hatch! So it was a great sort of circular way to tie in real life. The kids working together, the general story line, the songs, this was a lot of fun! Maybe I didn't see it (if that's that case, I'll adjust) but I do wish there had been some sheet music for the songs. (See final note)

“A's” Review:
The chicken ran away from her eggs! That can mean the eggs get too cold and might not hatch. But I was really happy to see the class worked together to make sure they found the mama chicken. The songs were so fun (even though Mommy can't sing!)

“C's" Review:
The baby chicks were so cute! The songs were so silly that Mommy tried to sing! She's terrible!

Dad's Review:
Not a singer myself, but I can play a few instruments. Would have had a great time adding to the story playing a song if there had been music. HIGHLY possible "Mom" missed seeing it when we were reading the book. It was pretty late. (See final note)

Thank you to authors Mary Rand Hess & Randy Preson, illustrator Marilena Perilli, Free Spirit Publishing, & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!
All opinions are our own.

NOTES:
° = Our Plot/Lesson rating is how well the kiddos picked up on the morals/lessons learned or well received the facts were.
^ = A, "Ready to Read" level 3, voracious reader
* = C, learning her letters, but memorizes stories well!

**There might be a few little plot reveals edited to a [generic description in brackets] to keep the surprise. :)
“Quotes”I paraphrase the kids’ opinions 90% of the time, but will call out their direct quotes.

(FINAL NOTE: "Each book provides online access to a script and original song recordings.")

Has mom flown the coop? The children don’t know why, but they suddenly find a nest of little eggs sitting all by themselves. What’s happened? These students are in the middle of a school project, caring for a chicken and her eggs, and they know it’s almost time for the chicks to hatch. But oh no—where’s mom? Without her, will the eggs survive?

The class splits into teams: some go searching for the mother hen while others figure out how to keep the eggs safe and warm. It’s a good thing they’re working together, because it’s not easy—but they quickly learn that patience, teamwork, and determination pay off.

This is an adorable story that gives children a glimpse of farm life, responsibility, and the rewards of working hard together.

Hmmm… A story that is odd enough in that the characters jump into being those from a musical at key points, and sing very repetitive, rhymed songs related to the plot and their emotions. But what makes it stand out is the fact this is about a class of kids at school worried about their sitting hen going AWOL; there's no real spoiler in the news there's a happy ending for everyone, but nothing is given as a proper explanation as to how it finished up where it did. So this is rum because the musical premise is always dubious, and because the whole search and rescue are a bit on the peculiar side, to say the least, as well.

Previously I'd seen this series with a much more theatrical-based story (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7749684824), and that really worked – it showed the importance of being an unsung hero, and the musical side fitted as it was based in that world. This isn't, and while it nudges itself to being about teamwork it doesn't really hit that beat very well either. Ultimately I think this is a touch too odd and weak even for three stars, so two and a half it is. Certainly not worth a song and dance.

A class is eagerly waiting for chickens to hatch when the mother chicken goes missing. The children search everywhere to find her and use songs to help them. This is a great book about team work. The book even includes a few pages at the end about teamwork. I can see this being for early elementary kids but the kids in the book looked like older elementary. This is the only thing I would change is to make the kids look younger.

This book was super cute and fun! Loved learning more about chickens and how babies hatch. The names they chose for the chicks were very cute. The illustrations were lovely as well.

I really liked this book! It seems like a great choice for kids. The illustrations, color scheme; and plot make this a great choice for kids. The songs were nice to have, too.

I also liked the last part of the book about teamwork.

Okay, I picked this one because my mom has chickens and I was giggling at the title—but this story was actually so clever and sweet! A fun, teamwork-centered read with a little musical twist that makes it extra special.

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.