Beaky Barnes: Egg on the Loose: A Graphic Novel

by David Ezra Stein, David Ezra Stein (Illustrator)

Overview

Caldecott Honor winner David Ezra Stein takes readers on a slapstick journey in his debut graphic novel series, featuring Beaky Barnes, a no-nonsense chicken who's determined to save her desirable egg. But with a hungry inspector, a desperate chef, and an entrepreneurial woman on her tail, Beaky has to use every tool in her chicken coop to make her grand escape.

All the inspector wanted was an egg to go in his sandwich, so he heads to the cafe. The problem? The town is entirely out of eggs, and the local chef is panicked. Luckily, he spots a lovely duo having lunch: a woman and a chicken named Beaky Barnes. It's his lucky day. But when the woman and Beaky have a fight over an offensive business arrangement (chicken-pulled coach service, anyone?), chaos ensues. With a chicken on the run, and an inspector and woman in hot pursuit, three stories emerge with hilarious results!

With laugh-out-loud madcap comedy on every page, David Ezra Stein's (Caldecott Honor winner of Interrupting Chicken) signature humor is on full display in this debut graphic novel!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593225110
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	01/03/2023
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	49 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Award-winning children's author and illustrator David Ezra Stein (he/him) was born in Brooklyn, New York. His works include Interrupting Chicken, Leaves, Monster Hug!, Tad and Dad, Pouch!, and Ol' Mama Squirrel. In addition to winning the Ezra Jack Keats award in 2008 and a Caldecott Honor in 2011, Stein's books have been named to several major book lists, such as Publishers Weekly's Best Book of the Year, Kirkus Reviews' Editor's Choice, and School Library Journal's Best Book. He lives in Kew Gardens, New York, with wife, Miriam, and their son, Sam.

Editorial Reviews

12/05/2022

In this sprawling inaugural graphic novel by Stein (Don’t Worry, Murray), which kicks off with a dramatis personae, readers meet the eponymous, clucking, human-size chicken, who’s the boon companion of a successful inventor. But the friendship falters when the inventor discounts both Beaky’s chickenhood (“She’s never laid an egg in her life”) and her autonomy (the inventor’s next big idea: a chicken pedicab, pulled by none other than Beaky). When Beaky suddenly lays an egg just as a nearby chef hunts for one, her course becomes clear: go on the lam, reunite with the egg’s father, and hatch that chick. Numerous subplots unspool, including one devoted to a fish’s college dreams (“I’ve got big plans for the future and being grilled isn’t one of them”) and another following a dedicated health and safety inspector who nearly stumbles onto a kitchen-based animal haven. Throughout, the action is regularly interrupted by commercials pushing products, including barrels for people who have lost their clothes (“Abashed by your sudden nudity?”). In inky cartoon panels that cross the narrative irreverence of the Marx Brothers with the breakneck silliness of French farce, Stein’s story affirms the folly of pigeonholing anyone—even a very big chicken. Human characters are portrayed with light skin. Ages 6–9. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Stein’s instantly recognizable illustrations, rendered in ballpoint pen and digitally enhanced watercolor, are alive with color and action, bringing this dramedy to its satisfying conclusion. Readers will be pleased to know this is not the last they’ll see of Beaky Barnes."—Kirkus, starred review

"Readers will find new gags to giggle at with repeat viewings and will look forward to future comic encounters with Beaky and friends."—The Horn Book Magazine

“Increasingly hilarious high jinks that ultimately culminate in a delightful conclusion. Stein’s signature watercolor and ink illustrations burst with humor and action on every spread, coupled flawlessly with clever wordplay and amusing dialogue. Readers will be eager for more of Beaky’s adventures. Highly recommended.”—School Library Journal

“In inky cartoon panels that cross the narrative irreverence of the Marx Brothers with the breakneck silliness of French farce, Stein’s story affirms the folly of pigeonholing anyone—even a very big chicken.”—Publishers Weekly

“Full of ridiculous characters, zany antics, and tongue-in-cheek humor, this rollicking tale’s absurd storyline and wry humor calls up classic cartoon comedies such as Rocky and Bullwinkle or Looney Tunes and will keep even reluctant readers turning the pages.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A madcap tale, drawn with strong kinetic lines and jolts of color. Young readers ages will be glad to know that Egg on the Loose is the inaugural title of a planned series"—The Wall Street Journal

From the Publisher

01/01/2023

Gr 3–6—In Caldecott Honoree Stein's graphic novel debut, readers are invited to join the residents of Simpleton for a wild chicken chase. Readers are initially introduced to the routine-oriented Town Inspector Cobb as he prepares to enjoy his daily lunch of an egg sandwich; however, things go awry immediately after the egg absconds from the confines of the bread. Cobb bolts to the town café to find a replacement, before learning that they are out of eggs. The chef, meanwhile, instantly closes shop to avoid a surprise inspection and sets out to find an egg for the inspector. Filled with despair, the chef is ready to give up when along strolls the chicken Beaky Barnes and her friend, headed right for the café. Subsequent spreads depict increasingly hilarious high jinks that ultimately culminate in a delightful conclusion that includes a trumpet-playing fish, a hardworking elephant, the chef enjoying a new role in life, and countless great ideas from the mind of Beaky Barnes, to name but a few features. Stein's signature watercolor and ink illustrations burst with humor and action on every spread, coupled flawlessly with clever wordplay and amusing dialogue. VERDICT Readers will be eager for more of Beaky's adventures. Highly recommended for purchase.—Olivia Gorecke

School Library Journal

★ 2022-10-26
A human-sized chicken leads the residents of a tiny town on a wild hen chase in Caldecott Honor winner Stein’s pleasantly peculiar debut graphic novel.

A boring day in Simpleton goes haywire after a fried egg liberates itself from the sandwich of Inspector Cobb, the hamlet’s chief health and safety officer. Cobb races on his bicycle to the town cafe only to learn that there are no eggs today, which does nothing to improve his steadily souring mood. Closing up shop to avoid a surprise inspection (and have his many pets and elephant fry cook discovered), the chef rushes out to the mini-mart only to find the egg shortage is townwide. All seems lost until an enormous chicken, the titular Beaky Barnes, crosses the road with her friend the Inventor to get to the cafe on the other side. Giddy with egg-citement, the chef hustles back to greet the gals, grab their orders, and hopefully somehow get an egg in the end. What follows is truly a madcap adventure connecting a trumpet-playing fish with collegiate dreams, an elephant with a broken heart and a squished bike, a rooster acting his heart out, and, yes, even an egg, all woven together in a brilliant, bizarre ballet that is equal parts goofy and genius. Stein’s instantly recognizable illustrations, rendered in ballpoint pen and digitally enhanced watercolor, are alive with color and action, bringing this dramedy to its satisfying conclusion. Readers will be pleased to know this is not the last they’ll see of Beaky Barnes. Human characters are light-skinned.

Pure egg-cellence. (Graphic fiction. 8-10)

Kirkus Reviews