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This is the Chick
A humorous picture book that teaches children about African animals. A tiny guinea fowl chick hatches early one morning and lets out a cheep. Find out what happens in the bush when the cheep is heard by all the African animals. Written in rhyme by best-loved childrens author Wendy Hartmann, this humorous story will enchant and entertain.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2017
14 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Hartmann
31 books1 followerWendy Hartmann has been writing for many years, with more than 40 children’s books published, including, most recently, The African Orchestra. Her work ranges from concept and counting, beginner readers, high interest/low vocabulary readers to picture books. Her books have been selected for honor’s lists and nominated for awards for writing and illustration. Wendy lives in Cape Town, is married and has two daughters. In her spare time, she paints and has taken part in numerous exhibitions and has works in private collections in South Africa as well as overseas.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 23, 2018
Why we chose this book:
The cover caught T's eye, and when I read the synopsis, I saw that it was indeed right up our alley. Crocodile Books provided a review copy.
Mom's Review (V)
A chain of events featuring African animals in their natural setting.
The whole story starts with a chick who lets out a peep, startling an elephant who in turn scares a kudu and so on until multiple animals are fleeing an imaginary monster (see image on right). The wise owl puts a stop to their silliness, telling them it was just a chick and that they should go back to bed. The pattern makes for fun shared reading; T got into the repetition quickly and enthusiastically.
What sets This is the Chick apart is the animals. While readers will recognize the elephant and the owl, the others may be unfamiliar, such as the kudu and the jackal. And this is part of what drew me to the book after T pointed out the "cover with the bird." Written by a Cape Town author, and including unfamiliar animals, This is the Chick would introduce us just a tiny bit more to Africa through the lens of a silly story. With acacia trees and a savannah setting, potentially exotic animals are normalized; young readers can embrace unfamiliar flora and fauna. As we read, T asked questions about acacia thorns and jackals, and pointed out what the animals were doing. He was really drawn into this, and since reading this book, T has incorporated jackals into his imaginative play.
What beautiful way to learn cause and effect and to meet African animals!
Son's Review (T)
(Age: 3 and 1/2 years)
Son, grinning, at the end of the book: I want to read it again!
Mom: Why? Is there something good about it?
Son: I just do. I like the monster, how he looks.
Mom: Is there really a monster?
Son, still grinning: No. I don't know what he is. What is he?
Mom: He is what they are all imagining together...Do you have a favorite animal yet?
Son: The monster. What is your favorite?
Mom: The kudu.
Son, smiling and turning the pages slowly: I turned to the starting.
After reading:
Son: How are they frightened?
Mom: They frightened each other. But what do they think is coming after them?
Son: A monster!
Mom: What advice would you give those animals?
Son: I would say, "Just don't think about a monster. Just try to not think about one." That's what I would say. That's what I would tell them.
Mom: What do you think of the animals?
Son: They're silly. They're silly that a monster's chasing them. They're silly animals.
Mom: What's your favorite animal? Why?
Son: The owl. He's cool.
Mom: If you could meet any animal-
Son, interrupting: Or the monster. I'll tell you what I would do if I met the monster. I would destroy the monster so they wouldn't have to worry about him.
Mom: What if you hear a "cheep" in the night?
Son: I wouldn't do anything.
Mom: What did you like about this story?
Son: I really think the monster is silly looking because he's part of all these animals. My favorite part is where the owl says, "Stop!"
Mom: Who might like this?
Son: I think someone who likes monsters and rangers and silly would like this book.
The cover caught T's eye, and when I read the synopsis, I saw that it was indeed right up our alley. Crocodile Books provided a review copy.
Mom's Review (V)
A chain of events featuring African animals in their natural setting.
The whole story starts with a chick who lets out a peep, startling an elephant who in turn scares a kudu and so on until multiple animals are fleeing an imaginary monster (see image on right). The wise owl puts a stop to their silliness, telling them it was just a chick and that they should go back to bed. The pattern makes for fun shared reading; T got into the repetition quickly and enthusiastically.
What sets This is the Chick apart is the animals. While readers will recognize the elephant and the owl, the others may be unfamiliar, such as the kudu and the jackal. And this is part of what drew me to the book after T pointed out the "cover with the bird." Written by a Cape Town author, and including unfamiliar animals, This is the Chick would introduce us just a tiny bit more to Africa through the lens of a silly story. With acacia trees and a savannah setting, potentially exotic animals are normalized; young readers can embrace unfamiliar flora and fauna. As we read, T asked questions about acacia thorns and jackals, and pointed out what the animals were doing. He was really drawn into this, and since reading this book, T has incorporated jackals into his imaginative play.
What beautiful way to learn cause and effect and to meet African animals!
Son's Review (T)
(Age: 3 and 1/2 years)
Son, grinning, at the end of the book: I want to read it again!
Mom: Why? Is there something good about it?
Son: I just do. I like the monster, how he looks.
Mom: Is there really a monster?
Son, still grinning: No. I don't know what he is. What is he?
Mom: He is what they are all imagining together...Do you have a favorite animal yet?
Son: The monster. What is your favorite?
Mom: The kudu.
Son, smiling and turning the pages slowly: I turned to the starting.
After reading:
Son: How are they frightened?
Mom: They frightened each other. But what do they think is coming after them?
Son: A monster!
Mom: What advice would you give those animals?
Son: I would say, "Just don't think about a monster. Just try to not think about one." That's what I would say. That's what I would tell them.
Mom: What do you think of the animals?
Son: They're silly. They're silly that a monster's chasing them. They're silly animals.
Mom: What's your favorite animal? Why?
Son: The owl. He's cool.
Mom: If you could meet any animal-
Son, interrupting: Or the monster. I'll tell you what I would do if I met the monster. I would destroy the monster so they wouldn't have to worry about him.
Mom: What if you hear a "cheep" in the night?
Son: I wouldn't do anything.
Mom: What did you like about this story?
Son: I really think the monster is silly looking because he's part of all these animals. My favorite part is where the owl says, "Stop!"
Mom: Who might like this?
Son: I think someone who likes monsters and rangers and silly would like this book.
October 11, 2020
Found on the IBBY South Africa Honour List, This is the Chick tells the story of how one chick's "peep" disrupted the African bush one night through a chain of events. This humorous story told through rhyme highlights many African animals through vivid, almost watercolor-like pictures. As I was searching for international literature, I discovered Wendy Hartmann who is an award-winning South African children's book author who has written over 40 books. I was drawn to this book by the cover art. The cover features a guinea fowl and its chick and the guinea fowl happens to be my mother's favorite animal so that is what initially attracted me to this book. Once I read it, I thought this book would be a great addition to an elementary school classroom library, specifically K-2. Not only could students read and learn about all the African animals highlighted, but it would also be a great book to use when introducing cause and effect, in the lower grades. This book has a chain of events where something happens with each animal that leads to another animal so students would have a fun time retelling this story as well. I found this as a YouTube read aloud but I would really like to see a copy in person, to fully experience the story and its pictures.
August 27, 2018
Who knew one little chick could cause so much trouble? In this story, a newly hatched baby chick lets out a loud "Peep!" that starts a chain reaction of frightened animals, until finally a wise owl is able to restore order. This is a fun cause-and-effect story with a catchy rhyme scheme. The watercolor illustrations are dominated by neutral browns, reds, and yellows to evoke the African savanna. There is also some lovely texture going on, especially the wrinkles in the elephant's skin. I really appreciate the variety of animals shown, some of which (kudu, jackal) will probably be new to young readers. However, the stylization of some of them does fall a little flat for me, especially the lion. Also, the illustration of the "monster" the animals are imagining may be genuinely frightening for some younger kids. It certainly startled me! So I would recommend being a little careful when deciding which audience to share this with.
March 6, 2018
A progressive story that starts with a chick making a cheep sound that causes other animals to react. I really enjoyed this book and watching how the small chick caused so much commotion. However, the monster page is a little scary looking so I would be careful about your audience for a read aloud.
December 28, 2018
So apparently this book happens at night, and all the animals are startled out of sleep. But you don't find that out till the end when a wise owl tells everyone to go back to bed. The illustrations make it look like it is daytime, and the animals are just freaking out over not much. There is a rhythm/flow to the text, but it doesn't repeat and doesn't help.
February 27, 2018
A mad panic by the animals of the forest ensures after little chick cheeps. Children will enjoy the silliness of this story line.
I'm not a fan of the style of the illustrations, but the expressions of the "scared" animals are great.
I'm not a fan of the style of the illustrations, but the expressions of the "scared" animals are great.
February 15, 2018
Good use of white space, illustrations that make a reader pay attention, and rhymes that are simple enough that students will have fun predicting what happens next.
February 21, 2018
Cute cause and effect book
March 5, 2018
A progressive read aloud.
January 22, 2019
Absolutely delightful illustrations help tell this story of a chain of events that lead safari animals to believe there is a monster on the loose!
March 16, 2018
Cute. Great cause and effect book, that just so happens to mostly rhyme.
Twos and PST
Cause and Effect
Bedtime
Chickens
Twos and PST
Cause and Effect
Bedtime
Chickens
July 6, 2018
Cumulative tale that begins with a cheep from a chick and progresses through a series of African animals. Delightful illustrations and fun-to-read rhyming verse.
July 11, 2018
A chicken's cheep sets off a calamtity of events for the other animals. What will happen? Preschool and up
August 10, 2018
Loved this fun to read, rhyming picture book of African animals
August 20, 2018
Interesting story line about a chick that lets out a 'cheep' and causes pandemonium in the jungle. A wise owl calms everything down. Fantastic illustrations of animals, birds, and the ranger
November 16, 2018
Even the tiniest cheep can scare the hell out of everyone.
February 10, 2020
Set in South Africa by a South African author. Very clever and funny.
Read
April 12, 2021cute
December 31, 2025
Delightful cumulative tale that is set in motion by the cheep of a chick which in turn begins a run of African animals. Who will stop all the running. Nice to focus on the African animals as each has its own page. The visual of running is easily seen in the illustrations.
March 15, 2018
Used in Storytime 3/15/18
Read
April 24, 2018A fun read with a good rhythm to the text full of subtle watercolor illustrations
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews