A Chicken Was There at Christmas: Throughout History and Around the World, When the Sun Rose on Christmas Morning, A Chicken Was There

A Chicken Was There

by A.A. Davenport

When a fish destined for Christmas dinner, swims in a bathtub in a small town in the Czech Republic, a chicken was there.

When a mother in a snow-covered hamlet in Norway, struggles to get the overpowering smell of her lutefisk feast out of her curtains, a chicken was there.

When a living nativity scene erupts into chaos on the festive streets of Rome, a chicken was there.

Now, for the first time ever, the chickens who have witnessed the Christmas traditions of countries all around the world will tell their stories. Part historical fiction, part humorous observation, the heartwarming innocence of the hens and roosters who were there tell the stories of how the world celebrates Christmas. From the historical origins of traditions such as Saint Nicholas, Advent Calendars, Christmas trees, and gingerbread houses, to the modern day celebrations of over twenty different countries, these eyewitnesses to the festivities tell their stories.

From Boxing Day in Canada to pinatas in Mexico, from the straw goats of Sweden, to the Christmas markets of Paris, a chicken was there.

Genres: Christmas, Humor, Historical Fiction

148 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2024

Reviews

[Amy Fleet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Previewed for a book club at school. We read this aloud as a family and all loved it. Will look into the other books in the series.

[Madelaine Pope · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 40%

The premise of the book is amusing: each chapter is a short story where a chicken talks about the Christmas customs of a different country from a chicken’s point of view. For a few chapters this is quite humorous, and, dare I say, cute. However, after a while it becomes clear that every story, despite being set in a different place and with different Christmas customs, follows the same basic plot: chicken introduces the country and some Christmas customs, chicken indicates it’s Christmas Eve, chicken talks about a special food they want, the chicken thinks of a way to try and get the food in an unusual way and/or wants to stop some aspect of the country’s Christmas tradition that the chicken thinks is weird, the chicken becomes trapped somewhere, the chicken is freed or escapes, the chicken is sad that it missed the special food, and then the chicken is happy because it does indeed get the special food. And that is the premise for every story that I read in the book. So, while the book is humorous and I did learn some things about Christmas foods in other countries, the repetitive stories, the sheer number of comma splices in the book, and my general dislike of chickens made me not want to finish the book.

[Lindsay Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet book full of short stories is simply delightful!! The whole family thoroughly enjoyed every single story, told from the perspective of a chicken. Each story told of different Christmas traditions from around the world and at different times. They were all witty and fun with a clever moral weaved in. The final story was in Bethlehem where a mama hen saw the birth of Jesus. Having chickens, we were delighted and tickled by the accuracy of chicken quirks and behaviors. So much fun!! Highly recommend to all chicken misters and missuses!

[Joni Truex · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Book for Chicken Lovers

This book is for chicken lovers and those that want to "see" the world and Christmas through the eyes of a chicken. The research into the customs in a variety of countries and eras is interesting.

[Taylor G · Rating 5 out of 5]

A chicken was at Christmas
There is always a chicken at Christmas 😏

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Don’t get me wrong, pig’s feet are tasty, but I don’t eat them just because I don’t think it’s fair to the pig. If we eat the pig’s feet, how can the pig get around and do whatever it is that pigs do all day?"

🤣😅😂

This is another delightful and insightful quick read for all ages. You might think you don't need to hear what the chickens think, but you do. I hate that this is the last book available.

[Donna L. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I am 68 and I have no small children to read these stories to but, as I read I found joy and laughter bubbling up in me like a child. Times have changes and it saddens me to see children on phones and not being read to. I I had grandchildren I would snuggle up with them early in life and read to them so they could experience that joy that comes with a well told story

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book

I enjoyed this light Christmas read. Each of the short stories was narrated by a chicken and took place in a different country or in a different time. I learned about the holiday traditions and celebrations around the world. I would recommend this book, especially to middle school aged children. A fun read!

[Phyllis (Avid Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great concept, but was poorly executed. The punctuation is terrible and there are a lot of typos. The book needs a good editor. Just one small example: when Santa's reindeer are listed, Vixen is named twice.

It's interesting to read about Christmas customs in other countries, but some things needed more explanation, especially for children.

I had planned to encourage my granddaughter to read this, but I don't think I will because of the poor quality of writing. Very disappointing.

[Harmony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute book that included Christmas traditions from around the world, as told by a chicken living in that country. It was humorous and engaging. One star has been removed for the constant comma splices that I had to work around as I read this aloud to my kids. 4 ⭐️

[Charity Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a pretty interesting, light-hearted, and funny read. I enjoyed learning about Christmas traditions all around the world. Being told from the perspective of a chicken was humorous and fascinating at the same time. I recommend this for a great read.

[Joy Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas narrated by chickens around the world

A delightful read narrated by chickens from around the world, each sharing their country’s Christmas and New Year traditions. Charming, lighthearted, and full of humor.
▪️Language - none
▪️Sex scenes - none
▪️Violence - none

[Sally Vrooman Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Chicken Was There at Christmas is a fun twist on the Christmas story, told from a chicken’s perspective. The setting is vivid, and the chicken adds humor, but the story drags at times and feels a bit simple. Younger readers may enjoy the silliness, but it lacks the depth to be truly memorable. The colorful illustrations are a nice touch, but overall, this is more of a light, quirky read.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun book to keep on the night stand for a 3-4 page chapter read. Each chapter is dedicated to a holiday tradition around the world, told through the eyes of a chicken. It’s a cute way to learn other countries holiday traditions.