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Cranky Chicken #5
Candy Queen
Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm are back in another sweetly silly graphic chapter book as the two friends banish a case of the flu, face an extra-spooky Halloween, and enjoy a wintry cabin getaway!
Cranky Chicken isn’t feeling so hot; she’s got the Chicken Flu, which makes her feverish, fuzzy, and extra cranky. Armed with an out-of-tune ukulele song, some questionable soup, and a very tight worm-knit blanket, can Speedy cheer Chicken up? Then Speedy faces his frights when Halloween gets a little too spooky for comfort. Can Chicken help him find his calm? Later, a surprise family reunion of the wormy variety sees the friends taking a festive winter vacation.
These three delightful stories about friendship and caring for one another—interspersed with laugh-out-loud vignettes—will make readers fall even more deeply in love with their favorite BFFs (that is, best feathered friends)!
Cranky Chicken isn’t feeling so hot; she’s got the Chicken Flu, which makes her feverish, fuzzy, and extra cranky. Armed with an out-of-tune ukulele song, some questionable soup, and a very tight worm-knit blanket, can Speedy cheer Chicken up? Then Speedy faces his frights when Halloween gets a little too spooky for comfort. Can Chicken help him find his calm? Later, a surprise family reunion of the wormy variety sees the friends taking a festive winter vacation.
These three delightful stories about friendship and caring for one another—interspersed with laugh-out-loud vignettes—will make readers fall even more deeply in love with their favorite BFFs (that is, best feathered friends)!
116 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2026
About the author
Katherine Battersby
19 books49 followersKatherine is the critically acclaimed author and illustrator of twelve children’s books, including Trouble, Perfect Pigeons and the popular Cranky Chicken series, which have been published around the world. Her books have received glowing reviews in The New York Times, starred Kirkus reviews and have been shortlisted for numerous awards. She is regularly booked to speak in schools, libraries and at festivals and she is a passionate advocate for literacy and the arts. She grew up in Australia and lives in Ottawa, Canada, with her poet, their book obsessed toddler and a wonderfully ridiculous dog.
Visit her at: www.katherinebattersby.com
Visit her at: www.katherinebattersby.com
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Candy Queen was another delightful adventure following Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm.
Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm (along with Wags the turtle) are back in three all new adventures. From a case of the Chicken Flu to a very spooky Halloween, these best feathered friends are ready to face whatever comes next. But when a winter getaway leads to an unexpected family reunion for Speedy, he's not sure how Chicken will react to meeting his family.
I read the first four Cranky Chicken books last year and really enjoyed them so I was excited when I saw there was a new book in the series. The art style in these books is fantastic with bright, colorful illustrations. The drawings almost look like they're done by crayon which is a great choice as it's unique among the graphic novels I've read. The book follows a similar format to the previous books that has vignettes between each of the stories which I enjoy as the vignettes are fun and break things up a bit.
The three stories in this book were quite entertaining and perfectly fit with the others in the series. The book starts with Chicken having the flu and Speedy trying to make her feel better. We then spend Halloween with the characters where the two debate the best parts of Halloween (for Speedy it's definitely not the spooky decorations). Finally we follow the pair (plus Wags!) as they head to a cabin for a winter getaway only for Speedy's family to show up. Each of the stories were a lot of fun and I enjoyed the final story the most. Getting to finally meet Speedy's family was great and I really enjoyed the group all spending time together.
Overall Candy Queen was a fantastic read and I would highly recommend this series if you're looking for some funny graphic novels for younger readers.
Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm (along with Wags the turtle) are back in three all new adventures. From a case of the Chicken Flu to a very spooky Halloween, these best feathered friends are ready to face whatever comes next. But when a winter getaway leads to an unexpected family reunion for Speedy, he's not sure how Chicken will react to meeting his family.
I read the first four Cranky Chicken books last year and really enjoyed them so I was excited when I saw there was a new book in the series. The art style in these books is fantastic with bright, colorful illustrations. The drawings almost look like they're done by crayon which is a great choice as it's unique among the graphic novels I've read. The book follows a similar format to the previous books that has vignettes between each of the stories which I enjoy as the vignettes are fun and break things up a bit.
The three stories in this book were quite entertaining and perfectly fit with the others in the series. The book starts with Chicken having the flu and Speedy trying to make her feel better. We then spend Halloween with the characters where the two debate the best parts of Halloween (for Speedy it's definitely not the spooky decorations). Finally we follow the pair (plus Wags!) as they head to a cabin for a winter getaway only for Speedy's family to show up. Each of the stories were a lot of fun and I enjoyed the final story the most. Getting to finally meet Speedy's family was great and I really enjoyed the group all spending time together.
Overall Candy Queen was a fantastic read and I would highly recommend this series if you're looking for some funny graphic novels for younger readers.
July 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.
Candy Queen is a delightful children’s graphic novel about the friendship between Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm. Beneath the silly adventures is a thoughtful message that feelings come and go, some days are harder than others, and sometimes the best thing a friend can do is simply be there with you. It also sneaks in practical emotional regulation strategies without ever feeling preachy, making the lessons feel like a natural part of the story.
The graphic novel format works wonderfully here. The chapters are short, the panels are easy to follow, and the colorful artwork adds personality and humor to every page. One of my favorite moments was the breathing exercise that encourages kids to breathe in like they’re smelling candy and breathe out like they’re cooling warm cookies. It’s simple, memorable, and exactly the kind of tool children can actually use.
This works perfectly as a standalone story, even though it made me want to go back and read the earlier books in the series. I especially appreciate this era of children’s literature that teaches emotional intelligence through engaging stories instead of lectures. Between the lovable characters, accessible graphic novel format, and meaningful life lessons, this is an easy recommendation for young readers. 4⭐
Who Should Read This?
Elementary-aged readers, classrooms, libraries, homeschool families, reluctant readers, and parents looking for stories that naturally introduce emotional regulation and friendship skills through humor and engaging artwork.
Candy Queen is a delightful children’s graphic novel about the friendship between Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm. Beneath the silly adventures is a thoughtful message that feelings come and go, some days are harder than others, and sometimes the best thing a friend can do is simply be there with you. It also sneaks in practical emotional regulation strategies without ever feeling preachy, making the lessons feel like a natural part of the story.
The graphic novel format works wonderfully here. The chapters are short, the panels are easy to follow, and the colorful artwork adds personality and humor to every page. One of my favorite moments was the breathing exercise that encourages kids to breathe in like they’re smelling candy and breathe out like they’re cooling warm cookies. It’s simple, memorable, and exactly the kind of tool children can actually use.
This works perfectly as a standalone story, even though it made me want to go back and read the earlier books in the series. I especially appreciate this era of children’s literature that teaches emotional intelligence through engaging stories instead of lectures. Between the lovable characters, accessible graphic novel format, and meaningful life lessons, this is an easy recommendation for young readers. 4⭐
Who Should Read This?
Elementary-aged readers, classrooms, libraries, homeschool families, reluctant readers, and parents looking for stories that naturally introduce emotional regulation and friendship skills through humor and engaging artwork.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read this with my 4- and 8-year-old granddaughters, and they both enjoyed it. Their favorite part was the chicken soup scene—they were laughing out loud and couldn't stop giggling.
The stories are sweet and focus on friendship, helping each other through tough moments, and facing fears, which made for a nice read-aloud. The graphic chapter book format also makes it approachable for younger readers who are building confidence reading independently.
The illustrations were fine, but they didn't really wow us or stand out as much as we expected. While we enjoyed reading it together, it wasn't one that really stuck with us after we finished.
Overall, it's a cute, lighthearted read with some genuinely funny moments that younger readers will likely enjoy.
The stories are sweet and focus on friendship, helping each other through tough moments, and facing fears, which made for a nice read-aloud. The graphic chapter book format also makes it approachable for younger readers who are building confidence reading independently.
The illustrations were fine, but they didn't really wow us or stand out as much as we expected. While we enjoyed reading it together, it wasn't one that really stuck with us after we finished.
Overall, it's a cute, lighthearted read with some genuinely funny moments that younger readers will likely enjoy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*A special thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.*
Candy Queen is a sweet and silly bunch of stories about Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm. The stories were fun and I loved the colorful and engaging illustrations. I also appreciated the message about friendship and being there for one another. Overall a wonderful book and one I know my niece and nephews will love.
Candy Queen is a sweet and silly bunch of stories about Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm. The stories were fun and I loved the colorful and engaging illustrations. I also appreciated the message about friendship and being there for one another. Overall a wonderful book and one I know my niece and nephews will love.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was so disappointed when this was over. The artwork is bright and colorful and the little situations are so humorous and relatable. And I love the talk about friendship, and the unusual relationship between a cranky chicken and a worm, especially when the worm made chicken soup when poor Cranky Chicken was sick (no chicken included!)
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews