Catch That Chicken!

by Atinuke, Angela Brooksbank (illustrator)

“A fun-filled, culturally rich tale that will delight readers young and older.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Lami is the best chicken catcher in the whole village. Her sister may be speedy at spelling, her friend fast at braiding hair, and her brother brave with bulls, but when it comes to chickens, nobody is faster or braver than Lami. That is, until the day when Lami chases a little too fast, up the baobab tree, and reaches a little too far . . . ow! How can she catch chickens with an ankle that’s puffed up like an angry lizard? Could it be, as Nana Nadia says, that quick thinking is more important than quick running? Award-winning author Atinuke celebrates Nigerian village life in a board book—vibrantly illustrated by Angela Brooksbank—with a universal message at its heart.

Genres: Picture Books, Africa, Animals, Storytime, Childrens, Nigeria, Family

33 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 7, 2020

About the author

Atinuke is a Nigerian-born author who started her career doing traditional oral storytelling. Her books include a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Winner, a Notable Book for a Global Society, a Cybils Award Winner, and an Africana Award Winner. She lives in Wales.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lami is proud of her chicken-catching abilities - after all, it feels good to be the best at something. Then one day, a bad thing happens, and Lami learns there's more than one way to catch a chicken . . . and it involves using your brain. I really loved the beautiful artwork by Angela Brooksbank.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about a little girl in a Nigerian village who's great at catching chickens.

I'm not really sure what else to say about it. It's a simple story, highlighting the girl's skill at catching chickens (until she falls out of a tree and sprains her ankle). I'm not a fan of the way crying was discouraged (after all, the kid was hurt), but that may be a cultural thing. The illustrations are cute and depict the bustling village and all of Lami's friends and relatives.

Those looking for picture books set in other countries might want to check this one out. It's a very simple story, though, probably best suited to younger readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing a digital ARC.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This book is about a little girl who may not be good at many things but is the best at catching chickens. Then one day she has an accident and hurts herself because she was racing around too quickly to catch the chickens. She learns a strong lesson that you don't have to be fast moving to catch chickens, you can be fast thinking instead and get them to come to you.
I thought this book was lovely and the art work was really lovely too.
This is a great book for teaching children that you can do thongs a different way if you stop and think.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Expatriate Nigerian children's author Atinuke and English illustrator Angela Brooksbank, who previously collaborated on Baby Goes to Market and B Is for Baby , join forces again for this delightful third picture-book. Set in a small Nigerian village, the story follows Lami, who, with her speed and her bravery, is the best chicken-catcher in town. But when Lami disregards her elders' warnings to slow down, and falls out of a tree, spraining her ankle, it seems as if her chicken-catching days are done. Fortunately, her grandmother has some advice about using one's smarts, rather than one's legs, that proves very useful...

Whether it be her chapter-books (and picture-books!) devoted to the adventures of Anna Hibiscus, her stories about the No. 1 Car Spotter, or her other picture-books illustrated by Brooksbank, I have yet to read a book from Atinuke that I didn't enjoy, and Catch That Chicken! is no exception. Lami is an engaging heroine, as she chases after chickens here and there, and the humor and goodheartedness of her story, and of her family and friends, is perfectly captured and accentuated in the beautiful illustrations. Recommended to fellow Atinuke fans, and to picture-book readers looking for children's stories set in modern-day Africa (specifically, Nigeria).

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

We love Atinuke! If you've never read her Anna Hibiscus do yourself a favor and read them. (There are picture books if your children are too little for the chapter books, i.e., Anna Hibiscus' Song.) Her stand-alone picture books with Angela Brooksbank have also charmed (my favorite being B Is for Baby). I was so excited for their latest book and hate to admit I was just ever so slightly disappointed in it... but maybe my expectations were just too high. Neither of my kids really liked it, though. My four-year-old looked through the pictures on his own and said he didn't like it and neither of them asked for a reread. I think maybe the illustrations are just a bit too chaotic here. I appreciate the message of using your head, and trying again when your original methods don't work out well. As always, I enjoy seeing a huge, loving extended family together and appreciate this look at compound life in modern-day Africa. I would not discourage anyone from trying this book, though I would definitely start with Anna Hibiscus if you can.

[Sunny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great way to normalize how people live in places that might be unconventional to some. Fun and expressive illustrations.

[Andrea Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge chicken fan so had to try this book out. Not a huge fan of the book, but enjoyed the idea of the bond between the girl and the chickens. This would be a good library choice for the lesson of getting hurt when you don't listen and to stop and think of a solution.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Squee! A new Atinuke book!
---
Exceeded expectations. Atinuke is really getting good at expressive, poetic writing. This would be so much fun to read aloud. Just one question, though: why do the chickens need to be caught??

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book is adorable!! Little Lami knows that everyone in her Nigerian village has an important job! A job they are good at and are responsible for completing to help life in the village run smoothly for everyone.
Lami's is chicken catching!! As the beautiful little chickens run around the village, kicking up dirt and eating bugs, Lami is fast at catching them and getting them where they need to be! She demonstrtes her chicken catching over and over until she tires t catch a chicken in a balboa tree and takes a nasty fall from the tree! Oops! maybe she should have been more careful! who's going to bring the chickens to grandmother now? But Lami is smart and uses her intelligence to problem solve and vatch the chicken grandmother needs anyway!

Terrific little book to help children learn about a community and culture they may know nothing about. Little Lami is so endearing and with her skill and persistence she proves herself to be a very important part of her village. This book gives the reader a wonderful opportunity to discuss the importance of everyone in the community down to the youngest members with young children. Discussing the jobs they have and the importance they have within their classroom and/or family children can be encouraged to feel a sense of belonging and pride, learn responsibility, and value their own worth,!
I'm ordering this book for my 2 year old grandaughter as soon as it's published!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Atinuk and Angela Brooksbank who created the marvelous B Is For Baby, readers get a taste of Nigerian village life and also a few new words. Lami is a terrific chicken catcher. Others, like her brother, are best with bulls, but she is the best at catching chickens. Brooksbank's illustration fill with action and expressions as Lami runs through the village catching chickens which is where we can see a lovely double-page spread of that entire village, "with lots and lots of chickens". Page by page, people shout "slow down" (Sannu! Sannu!) And we meet friends and family watching Lami run fast after, yes, chickens. One time, however, she runs too far, up a baobab tree, catches the chicken, but wait, she also falls and sprains an ankle. How she learns from her Nana Nadia's advice is clever and Lami does not lose her "title"! What a fun book about this young girl, but also those in her family and village. Interest to learn more about this different life may end in further research!

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lami lives in her village with her many aunties and lots of chickens. She loves to catch any chickens. One day she was catching that chicken and she had hurt herself. With the wisdom of her Nana, she becomes smart about catching the village chickens.

I loved this book. It is cultural diverse with the focus of family and community. You will fall in love with Lami and her community.

A Special Thank you to Candlewick Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atinuke brings a delightful upbeat picture book. Set within the community of a small village in (likely) Nigeria, Int’l renowned author Atinuke presents a delightfully rhythmic, alliterative, upbeat account of a young girl famed for her chicken-catching ability. Each double page spread depicts family and community engaged in delightful activities in which everyone has a gift or talent.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another adorable children’s book by my newest favorite author. After I read this one to my kids, my daughter asked if we could get a chicken for our backyard. So cute.

[Becky Loader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done easy book about adapting and resilience among children. I liked the artwork very much!

[Hannah]

I loooooove it

[Jessica Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, even if it is simple. I liked that Lami learned a natural consequence and that there's more than one way to go about things. Fun and nicely illustrated. I appreciate the glimpse into a Nigerian village through this story.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this energetic book with its simple sentences and repeating refrains. Angela Brooksbank's illustrations are just adorable with bright colors and busy scenes filled with charming details of the village life.

This would be a great story-hour book but also is great as a lap book to enjoy all the funny small details.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Childrens picture book. Lami lives in an African village (Ingram says Nigerian, but it is not specified in the text) and is the best at catching chickens. Others have their talents, but no one can catch chickens like Lami. But what is she to do when a hurt ankle limits her running ability? A beautifully illustrated story of an African village. The town scenes invite poring over to examine the details. The feeling of community and belonging is very clear. A great ownvoices story about Africa, this would be a wonderfully diverse selection to flesh out a chicken or farm themed storytime.

Updated to add: Now that we have chickens of our own, my son has requested multiple readings of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review an advanced copy of this title.

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catch That Chicken is an absolutely delightful picture book about a brave girl who catches chickens in her village. This book is full of vivid, breathtaking illustrations perfect for showing kids the life of a girl living in an African village. However, this book is more than just pretty pictures. In scant, lyrical prose, Nigerian author Atinuke shows little readers how to harness their problem-solving skills, and the fact that there’s often an easier — and safer way — to do almost everything!

Read my full review and see sample pages on my blog

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved B Is for Baby by this same team, and this book is another winner. I love the way the illustrations zoom in and out on Lami as she chases after the chickens in her compound. I also enjoy the way Lami's strengths are contrasted against those of her friends, and the way everyone in her family joyfully cheers her on in her efforts to catch the chickens. Through this story, kids get a sense of what it is like like to live in Lami's community, and they can also relate to Lami as she struggles to reimagine her talent after an injury.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This colorfully-illustrated book introduces kids to a Nigerian village with many sights, sounds--and chickens. Lami is a little girl who is the very best at chasing and catching chickens, until one day, she hurts her ankle and is unable to run, thus leaning an important lesson about bringing the birds to her with a calm manner and food.

I'm not a big fan of anything celebrating chasing animals around and grabbing them. I am glad that the final page has Lami embracing a much happier-looking hen after learning to coax them with kindness. I hope youngsters hearing this story will absorb this part of the story, and not just the chasing- and- grabbing part.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lami is the best chicken catcher in the village but she doesn't listen when the others tell her ''sannu'' or ''slow down'' and gets hurt. Even though she can't run right now Lami uses her head and finds a way to catch chickens anyway.

[Marjorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having never caught a chicken, I can't say I understand Lami's passion. But the chicken art by Brooksbank is simply adorable!

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lami is the best chicken catcher in her small Nigerian compound. Happily, the compound is full of all kinds of chickens and she helps out by catching them for everyone. She may not be fast at spelling like her sister or fast at braiding hair like her friend, but she is the fastest at catching chickens! But one day, Lami moves too fast to catch a chicken, ignoring everyone telling her to slow down. She chases the chicken right up a baobab tree, toppling from a branch and falling. Her ankles swells up, and now she can’t catch any chickens at all. But her Nana Nadia sits down with her and gets Lami thinking of a new way to catch chickens without the wild chase.

Atinuke is the author of the Anna Hibiscus series and several picture books set in her native Nigeria. Her skill as an oral storyteller always shines in her picture books. This one also reads aloud beautifully, building in pace to a great crescendo before the literal fall. Atinuke uses repeating phrases and sentence structures to create a warm energy throughout the book.

The illustrations will work well for sharing the book with a group. Done in mixed media, the move from long distance images of the compound to being right in the mix of the action with Lami as she dashes after chickens. These are energetic illustrations that perfectly suit the story.

Clever and fun, head on a wild chicken chase with this picture book. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story, there is a little girl named Lami, and she loves chickens. In the compound where she lives with her family, there are many chickens, and they often need catching. Lami is the best at it out of her compound’s occupants. Lami starts chasing a chicken trying to catch it but gets so focused on what she is trying to do she ignores her elders telling her to slow down, and as a result she gets hurt. At the end, Lami realizes that she doesn’t need to chase the chickens in order to catch them, she uses corn instead to lure them to her while she’s injured. I like this book because of the way it’s written. It reads as very fast paced, and it is a cute little story.
I think that using this book particularly with younger kids might help them with some of the general things they need to learn early on in school, granted this in particular is not content based, it to me is more about remembering to follow rules and be aware of your surroundings. Which can be very new things for some students when they first start school. Though this is fiction, I think it might also be able to be used as a support for a geography/ social studies lesson about Africa, as it shows some of the general culture/ architecture/ flora and fauna that can be found in the area. On the title page, it is mentioned that the story takes place in West Africa.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone, including brother Bilal, friend Fatima, sister Sadia, Nana Nadia, Daddy Danlami and Anuty Aisha, agrees that Lami is the fastest and best chicken catcher in their whole Nigerian village. Lami is so fast that the aunties in her village compound are always shouting Sannu! Sannu! Slow Down! as she chases chickens. But one day, Lami chases a chicken up the big baobab tree, and reaching for that runaway bird, she suddenly slips and falls. Oh dear, how can Lami chase chickens with a sprained ankle? After Nana Nadia tells her that quick thinking, not quick feet, is the way to catch chickens, can Lami come up with a new idea to do that? My young readers and I really loved this book, and not just because Lami is such an strong character, but it is a story is also a story about a close knit community, one that encourages and looks out for each other. The colorful mixed media illustrations tell Lami's story, but the milieu in which she lives was so detailed that it was fun for my young readers to explore and talk about what they revealed about the different aspect of life and culture in this village in Africa on almost every page. This is a book we've read over and over again and which is now part of our permanent class library.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more but I just didn't quite get into it. However, I do think it's relatable to kids. It's about a girl who knows what she's good at- catching chickens, "Friend Fatima is fast at braiding hair. But when it comes to chickens... Lami is faster." I do really love the illustrations of the people which appear to be mostly watercolor or something, and then a sharper outline and possibly ink curls for hair. I love the hair. I think if I skipped a few pages at the beginning I'd like it better, but there's one page with 6 variations of "Catch that chicken!" The illustration is fun though. Anyways, after she compares herself to others, she ends up chasing one too fast and is told repeatedly (again) to slow down, and ends up spraining her ankle. Her grandma comes and I loved her part. "'If you are not careful, you will soon be best in the village at crying,' says Nana Nadia with a smile. 'It's not quick feet that catches chickens--it's quick thinking.'" (And side note- I LOVE Lami's face on this page.) And so she thinks and gets the chickens to come to her and becomes best again at catching chickens, but a new way. I did love how she hit a trial and instead of it going away, she adapted to still be the best. The story is set in West Africa.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute, sweet story of a little girl, Lami, who is the best at catching chickens in her village, until one day when she gets a little too enthusiastic about it and falls out of a baobab tree, spraining her ankle. With Nana Nadia's encouragement, Lami figures out a new method to catch chickens, retaining her place as best chicken catcher in the village.
There is so much to love about this story- it talks about everyone having something they're good at, and how that contributes to their community; it shows the importance of being careful and being aware of your surroundings and any potential dangers; it conveys the idea that sometimes there are other ways to deal with a situation or problem, and encourages thinking of other solutions; and it introduces a new culture, community, and way of living that many children are unfamiliar with. Also, there's that beautiful, vibrant artwork, so full of life and detail! I have great respect for Lami's chicken catching skills, by the way, chickens are not easy to catch!

#CatchThatChicken #NetGalley

[Madison Timberlake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catch That Chicken! by Atinuke and illustrated by Angela Brooksbank was an instructing story that could really make normal a life outside of the conventional to those that read it. The book follows a young Nigerian girl, Lami, that is the best at catching chickens in her village. Her brother may be good with bills, but she is fast and always catches the chickens. However, she gets hurt and discouraged about her chicken-catching abilities with a sprained ankle. Lami really learns a lesson from her Nana from this. Her physical speed is not the only thing that makes her good at what she does, but her quick thinking as well. The illustrations create a bright and action-filled scenery to accompany the fast paced life of Lami and her daily tasks.
This book would be a great lesson for children that may not be the biggest and best at everything; it would be an encouraging story to share that everyone has skills unique to themselves and the reason for being good at them may be in ways they least expect!
Perfect for young readers, K-2.

[Kirsten - Children's Library Lady]

Lami is the best chicken catcher in her West African village, but her overconfidence leads to injury. Nana Nadia reminds her that being the best doesn't just mean physical prowess, but also using one's intelligence. 

Catch That Chicken! promotes discussions on perseverance, thinking things through, and the wisdom passed down through generations.

Discussion Questions
1. Why does Lami enjoy catching chickens? How does her passion influence her actions?
2. How does Lami's perspective on being the best change after her accident? What does this teach us about learning from mistakes?
3. How does the story show the importance of community and support in overcoming challenges?
4. How does Nana Nadia contribute to Lami's understanding of her abilities and strengths?
5. The setting of a West African village plays a significant role in the story. How would the story change if set somewhere else?
6. How does the book celebrate each person's unique talents in their community?
7. How can we apply Lami's lesson in our own lives when faced with challenges or setbacks?