Crankosaurus: A Cranky Chicken Book 3

by Katherine Battersby, Katherine Battersby (Illustrator)

Overview

Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm return in another “sweetly silly” (Kirkus Reviews) illustrated chapter book as Cranky plans a nap and the two friends find a mysterious egg—sure to be beloved by fans of Narwhal and Jelly and The Bad Guys!

Cranky Chicken has no time to play with Speedy the worm because it’s nap time—and it is never a good idea for Cranky to skip a nap. Then, Speedy starts having questions of identity: what does it really mean to be a worm? Can Cranky and Speedy find some answers? Later, Cranky and Speedy discover an egg and have to work together to take care of it. These three new stories about listening, helping our friends, and learning new things will make readers fall even more deeply in love with these delightful BFFs (that is, best feathered friends).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665914550
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	05/23/2023
Series:	Cranky Chicken , #3
Pages:	116
Sales rank:	1,087,003
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Katherine Battersby is the critically acclaimed children’s author and illustrator of a number of children’s books, including the Cranky Chicken series, Perfect Pigeons, and Squish Rabbit, a CBC Children’s Choice Book. Her books have received glowing reviews in The New York Times and starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and have been shortlisted for numerous Australian awards. Visit her at KatherineBattersby.com.

Katherine Battersby is the critically acclaimed children’s author and illustrator of a number of children’s books, including the Cranky Chicken series, Perfect Pigeons, and Squish Rabbit, a CBC Children’s Choice Book. Her books have received glowing reviews in The New York Times and starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and have been shortlisted for numerous Australian awards. Visit her at KatherineBattersby.com.

Editorial Reviews

2023-03-14
A crabby chicken and her worm BFF achieve friendship goals.

Crowds, trampolines, baths, skipping a nap—there’s plenty that makes Chicken cranky. But “tiny and tickly” Speedy Worm makes Cranky Chicken actively “un-cranky.” Libraries also make Chicken happy, even though “Crankiness is allowed” there. Honestly, Speedy and Chicken are such great friends that dour-looking, unibrowed Chicken spends most of the book looking pretty upbeat. In one story, Speedy and Chicken have different ideas about how to take a nap, but they’re still best friends. In another, Speedy has an existential crisis (are they really a worm, or could they be a cobra, a giraffe, or a brontosaurus?), but the duo’s friendship reigns supreme—indeed, they are “Best Feathered Family forever.” All the while, they help each other learn. Speedy asks Chicken how she knows she’s a hen and not a rooster, and—unibrow thoughtfully cocked up—Chicken explains it’s because she just feels like a hen. Simple shapes and linework bring to life a wonderfully expressive pair in this sweetly silly graphic novel. Chapters are separated by funny vignettes; one especially hilarious page finds Chicken and Speedy in costumes—Chicken as Princess Leia with Speedy as Yoda; Chicken as a worm and Speedy as a chicken; and both dressed as “Stripy Lost Guy” in Where’s Waldo–style red-and-white tops and beanies.

Cuddly, funny comics will charm the crankiest of readers. (Graphic early reader. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews