Zelda's Big Adventure

by Marie Alafaci, Shane McG (Illustrator)

Overview

Zelda has big plans—she wants to be the first chicken in space. She leaves nothing to chance as she builds her spaceship, plans her experiments, and packs for the journey. All she needs now is a little help from her friends, and if they won’t step up, Zelda will just have to manage on her own! Eye-popping art and a story of perseverance and ingenuity prove that for a plucky hen, the sky is never the limit.

This modern twist on the traditional The Little Red Hen story features an endearing and resourceful chicken determined to fulfill her dream.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781328660817
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/12/2017
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	694,840
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 10.40(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Marie Alafaci has worked as a publishing consultant, book reviewer, and writing teacher and has written non-fiction and fiction for children as well as adults. Zelda's Big Adventure is her first book to be published in the US. She lives in Australia. Visit her online at mariealafaci.weebly.com and on Twitter @GlyphMarie.

Shane McG is a Melbourne-based illustrator whose work appears in publications globally. He writes and illustrates his own picture books as well as illustrating for a wide range of authors. He lives in Australia. Visit him online at shanemgworld.com and on Instagram @shanemcgillustration. 

Editorial Reviews

"A tale of plucky poultry sure to inspire those who are afraid they may be too chicken to follow their dreams." — Kirkus "Originally published in Australia, this plucky chicken’s space travel story will resonate well with American audiences." — Booklist —

From the Publisher

2017-05-24
Zelda is a hen with a plan: "to be the first chicken in space." Zelda has already built her spaceship, planned the experiments she'll carry out in space, and trained for weightlessness (by suspending herself from a tree limb). Now, all she needs is a little help from her friends. Walter the rooster won't help with her spacesuit (he doesn't sew!). Mike is too busy to help with the heat shielding. And Bella the hen does not "do DIY," so she can't help with the control panel. Zelda goes it alone; despite some difficulty counting backward at countdown, she blasts off into space! After a successful mission of weighing stardust and counting planets, she returns home to find that her friends claim partial credit for her success. Zelda's not fazed…in fact, the stars were lonely; she plans to take some company on her next astral adventure. Australian duo Alafaci and McG have crafted a space-age "Little Red Hen" (who is white here), and even those who know the traditional tale will admire Zelda's pluck and forgiving nature. McG's burnished illustrations in a muted palette, full of barnyard tech and expressive chickens, pair well with Alafaci's straightforward text. A tale of plucky poultry sure to inspire those who are afraid they may be too chicken to follow their dreams. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews