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Poultrygeist
From a debut picture-book author and a #1 New York Times best-selling illustrator, a wry take on "Why did the chicken cross the road?" that gives a whole new meaning to "the Other Side." Cock-a-doodle-BOO!
It's punny. It's spooky. It's a meta picture book that puts a fresh spin on an old joke and elevates chicken comedy to ghastly new levels. A little spring chicken crosses the road but quickly gets flattened under a semitruck. The barnyard beasts who've gone before break the news: now that Chicken's fried--dispatched to the Other Side--Chicken has a job, an unwanted job, as a noisy troublemaking ghost. This fowl may be weak in the beak, but Chicken knows that scaring people isn't nice. There is such a thing as a friendly ghost, after all--isn't there? Loaded with laughs and shivers, this Halloween-ready treat features ghoulishly funny art by the illustrator of the #1 New York Times best-selling Bad Seed series. Let the haunting begin!
No chickens were harmed in the making of this book.
It's punny. It's spooky. It's a meta picture book that puts a fresh spin on an old joke and elevates chicken comedy to ghastly new levels. A little spring chicken crosses the road but quickly gets flattened under a semitruck. The barnyard beasts who've gone before break the news: now that Chicken's fried--dispatched to the Other Side--Chicken has a job, an unwanted job, as a noisy troublemaking ghost. This fowl may be weak in the beak, but Chicken knows that scaring people isn't nice. There is such a thing as a friendly ghost, after all--isn't there? Loaded with laughs and shivers, this Halloween-ready treat features ghoulishly funny art by the illustrator of the #1 New York Times best-selling Bad Seed series. Let the haunting begin!
No chickens were harmed in the making of this book.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published August 17, 2021
6 people are currently reading
337 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
October 30, 2021
The premise of this book is okay, and I like the joke about the chicken crossing the road to get to "the Other Side"... but aside from that, this book is a bit weak. Pete Oswald's illustrations are fine, but I mostly like them for the colour scheme.
The book starts out graphically with a chicken trying to cross the road and being hit by a semi. (No, I'm not kidding. Yes, this is a children's picture book.) Various other ghosts of roadkill greet him on the Other Side and try to convince him to be a scary ghoul. But the chicken wants no part of it. Besides, he's not even scary... is he?
Aside from the overall premise (which is really more of a gimmick the way it was executed here), this book doesn't have that much going for it. The other ghosts are nasty and keep bullying the poor dead chicken into being a bully himself. What kind of message is that supposed to be?
This could've been a great spooky read with a better story. As it is, I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone. (And I sure wouldn't recommend it to sensitive readers who wouldn't find anything funny about a chicken being hit by a truck.)
The book starts out graphically with a chicken trying to cross the road and being hit by a semi. (No, I'm not kidding. Yes, this is a children's picture book.) Various other ghosts of roadkill greet him on the Other Side and try to convince him to be a scary ghoul. But the chicken wants no part of it. Besides, he's not even scary... is he?
Aside from the overall premise (which is really more of a gimmick the way it was executed here), this book doesn't have that much going for it. The other ghosts are nasty and keep bullying the poor dead chicken into being a bully himself. What kind of message is that supposed to be?
This could've been a great spooky read with a better story. As it is, I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone. (And I sure wouldn't recommend it to sensitive readers who wouldn't find anything funny about a chicken being hit by a truck.)
August 25, 2021
>_> this would have traumatized me as a kid!
Like the art is nice but dang. lol
Like the art is nice but dang. lol
January 31, 2022
The illustrations are nicely done in a spooky color palette, and I could see this appealing to adults looking for a not-too-scary ghost book to share with kids around Halloween especially...
...but I just can't get behind a book that depicts animals being killed on highways as funny.
Yes, I realize this book is super cartoony and not meant to be serious in the least, but for anyone who has seen the injuries and suffering caused by vehicle strikes, it's difficult to see the humor here. Especially when the intended audience often cannot always separate fantasy from real consequences.
...but I just can't get behind a book that depicts animals being killed on highways as funny.
Yes, I realize this book is super cartoony and not meant to be serious in the least, but for anyone who has seen the injuries and suffering caused by vehicle strikes, it's difficult to see the humor here. Especially when the intended audience often cannot always separate fantasy from real consequences.
February 26, 2022
When a chicken crosses the road to get to the other side, and is struck by an eighteen-wheeler, he finds that he's arrived at the OTHER SIDE instead. Now a ghost, surrounded by other animal ghosts, he is told that his duty as a Poultrygeist is to scare and haunt. But our galline hero has no interest in such activities...
Long-time children's book editor Eric Geron makes his own picture-book debut with Poultrygeist, a darkly humorous take on that old joke about the chicken crossing the road to get to the other side. The story is told entirely through dialogue (some of it directed to the reader/listener) and image, making it a good read-aloud selection, I think. The digital artwork from Pete Oswald is lots of fun, with almost all of the scenes dominated by dark black pages, and colorful animal ghosts which pop off those pages. I can see this one being a little traumatic for some youngsters, and hilarious for others, so the adult involved, whether parents or teacher, should bear this in mind. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for stories with a dark sense of humor, and a meta-fictional bent.
Long-time children's book editor Eric Geron makes his own picture-book debut with Poultrygeist, a darkly humorous take on that old joke about the chicken crossing the road to get to the other side. The story is told entirely through dialogue (some of it directed to the reader/listener) and image, making it a good read-aloud selection, I think. The digital artwork from Pete Oswald is lots of fun, with almost all of the scenes dominated by dark black pages, and colorful animal ghosts which pop off those pages. I can see this one being a little traumatic for some youngsters, and hilarious for others, so the adult involved, whether parents or teacher, should bear this in mind. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for stories with a dark sense of humor, and a meta-fictional bent.
October 17, 2021
So the chicken crossed the road to get to the other side, but a Mac truck comes along and the chicken gets to . . . THE OTHER SIDE. Fabulous illustrations and fun for those who want a little dark humor for Halloween.
March 19, 2021
Very Beautiful Art. A little darker than the average kid would like however I know several spooky kids that would love it. However it ends a little abruptly for my tastes.
August 17, 2021
Made me laugh out loud!
I am a 51 year old male who has worked at bookstores all my life and it is a rare thing indeed to have a book come in and make me feel so happy. I love this book; it's playfulness, it's art, it's darkness, and it's wordplay!
Definitely for a kid that has a dark spark, or for a Halloween read.
I am a 51 year old male who has worked at bookstores all my life and it is a rare thing indeed to have a book come in and make me feel so happy. I love this book; it's playfulness, it's art, it's darkness, and it's wordplay!
Definitely for a kid that has a dark spark, or for a Halloween read.
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September 12, 2021Such an adorable picture book for Halloween season!
August 17, 2021
This is such a quirky ghost story with tons of fun word play and awesome ghostly illustrations. Great for those who love darker picture books.
September 5, 2025
What did children's picture books need when Eric Geron published his first one in 2021? A bit of dark fun, perhaps, and Poultrygeist has no shortage. When a bird accidentally brings the "Why did the chicken cross the road?" joke to life, and gets squashed by a truck halfway across the asphalt strip, it seems like an end...but the story is just getting underway.
The chicken awakens in the road, where ghosts of other deceased critters clue him in on his fate: he has shuffled off this mortal coil and become…a poultrygeist. His new friends inform him it's now his job to scare others by whatever ghoulish means he prefers, but the chicken has no desire to terrify animals or people. He's still a fluffy, cute chicken even if he is a ghost. But maybe, generating scares comes a lot more natural to him now...
Poultrygeist is fun wordplay, appealing colors, and an easygoing tone that signals sensitive young readers it's okay to have fun with the scenario. I enjoy Eric Geron's sense of humor and Pete Oswald's visual style; I'm glad they did this book together.
The chicken awakens in the road, where ghosts of other deceased critters clue him in on his fate: he has shuffled off this mortal coil and become…a poultrygeist. His new friends inform him it's now his job to scare others by whatever ghoulish means he prefers, but the chicken has no desire to terrify animals or people. He's still a fluffy, cute chicken even if he is a ghost. But maybe, generating scares comes a lot more natural to him now...
Poultrygeist is fun wordplay, appealing colors, and an easygoing tone that signals sensitive young readers it's okay to have fun with the scenario. I enjoy Eric Geron's sense of humor and Pete Oswald's visual style; I'm glad they did this book together.
October 29, 2021
This isn't really a Halloween story per se, but feels like a good choice for this time of year. It is the very tongue-in-cheek story of a chicken who is crossing the road to get to the other side just as a truck is coming down the same road. And while the chicken definitely crosses the road to the other side, it just isn't the other side she was aiming for and it isn't the end of her story, either. No, indeed, chicken wakes up on the Other Side where an array of scary ghostly animals who have met the same fate as chicken inform her that she has become a poultrygeist. Her job now is be noisy and to haunt, to be a cock-a-doodle Boo, to turn someone's sunny side up day into sunny side down. But chicken just wants to be a friendly ghost, she doesn't want to haunt anyone, especially not innocent readers. But then her anger gets the best of her and her transforms into scary poultrygeist. Be warned! This is kind of a dark story, and may not be for every young reader. For kids old enough to get the humor, they will find it to be a very punny book. Other kids might be relieved when chicken breaks the fourth wall to make sure they are OK. Wisely, Geron never lets chicken aim her ghostly scariness at readers, only at the other poltergeists. I did love the digitally created illustrations, they are humorous without being scary or grim. This is a fun twist on the old joke about the chicken crossing the road as well as a book that may help dispel the fear of ghosts in younger kids.
January 4, 2022
5 stars
This book is hilarious! Our protagonist, the chicken, runs "a-fowl" (sorry y'all, couldn't resist) of a semi-truck while crossing the road. She is confused as to what happened until several other ghostly animals inform her that she has reached "the other side" and is now a "poultrygeist." Resistant at first, she works toward coming to terms with her newfound spirited existence, but not without some hilarity along the way!
Older readers will probably enjoy this book more than the audience traditionally considered picture book-aged. The content might be jarring for very young as the chicken does die at the beginning of the story after being hit by a truck, but upper elementary/middle grade readers will likely enjoy the wordplay and the silliness of this book. Highly recommended.
~ Miss Anna
This book is hilarious! Our protagonist, the chicken, runs "a-fowl" (sorry y'all, couldn't resist) of a semi-truck while crossing the road. She is confused as to what happened until several other ghostly animals inform her that she has reached "the other side" and is now a "poultrygeist." Resistant at first, she works toward coming to terms with her newfound spirited existence, but not without some hilarity along the way!
Older readers will probably enjoy this book more than the audience traditionally considered picture book-aged. The content might be jarring for very young as the chicken does die at the beginning of the story after being hit by a truck, but upper elementary/middle grade readers will likely enjoy the wordplay and the silliness of this book. Highly recommended.
~ Miss Anna
October 31, 2021
It’s a lovely sunny day and a chicken is crossing the road…
KERBLAM!
The chicken is horrified to discover he is on the OTHER side. Ghosts of other road victims surround him, telling him what he must do.
He must Spook, and Scare and Boo! He must make Trouble now that he is a Poultrygeist!
This chicken is no chicken. He might be a ghost, but no way is he going to haunt anybody! Anyway – who is scared of a CHICKEN?
A unique way of telling ‘the chicken that crossed the road’ story with a Halloween creepy vibe. I love the way he talks directly to the reader part way through, checking in to make sure they’re not scared.
The contrast from the sunny day to the afterworld is brilliantly illustrated, the other creatures bright and scary on dark backgrounds. I enjoyed this picture book from the creepy hardback cover to the clever conclusion. Not for littlies or gentle wee souls!
KERBLAM!
The chicken is horrified to discover he is on the OTHER side. Ghosts of other road victims surround him, telling him what he must do.
He must Spook, and Scare and Boo! He must make Trouble now that he is a Poultrygeist!
This chicken is no chicken. He might be a ghost, but no way is he going to haunt anybody! Anyway – who is scared of a CHICKEN?
A unique way of telling ‘the chicken that crossed the road’ story with a Halloween creepy vibe. I love the way he talks directly to the reader part way through, checking in to make sure they’re not scared.
The contrast from the sunny day to the afterworld is brilliantly illustrated, the other creatures bright and scary on dark backgrounds. I enjoyed this picture book from the creepy hardback cover to the clever conclusion. Not for littlies or gentle wee souls!
October 13, 2021
The chicken who crossed the road gets hit by a truck and becomes a poultrygeist. The other animal ghosts insist that now that the chicken is dead, he has to haunt people and scare them. But chicken is nice. He doesn't want to scare anyone. Can he convince the other ghosts that he's not a scary chicken?
This book is so funny! Poor chicken has to deal with the afterlife and all those other ghosts bullying him to be scary like them. At one point, chicken breaks the fourth wall and asks the reader if they are okay and not too scared. It's hilarious!
I liked the illustrations and the creepy art style. The animal ghosts make mean faces to convince chicken to be mean too, but chicken himself is just sweet and cute. It's a little bit scary, but not too much. The illustrations have wonderful dark backgrounds, and the ghosts seem to shimmer and glow on the page. It's just perfect for this type of book!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
This book is so funny! Poor chicken has to deal with the afterlife and all those other ghosts bullying him to be scary like them. At one point, chicken breaks the fourth wall and asks the reader if they are okay and not too scared. It's hilarious!
I liked the illustrations and the creepy art style. The animal ghosts make mean faces to convince chicken to be mean too, but chicken himself is just sweet and cute. It's a little bit scary, but not too much. The illustrations have wonderful dark backgrounds, and the ghosts seem to shimmer and glow on the page. It's just perfect for this type of book!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
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September 15, 2021I was so excited about this one, but it was darker than I was looking for and that made it less fun for me. I was looking for more funny than dark. But for the right readers, this is going to be a hit.
October 16, 2021
A chicken who was crossing the road to get to the other side winds up on THE OTHER SIDE and is now a poultrygeist. A silly picture book that will be enjoyed by readers who appreciate clever wordplay and gruesome Halloween humor.
December 1, 2021
What happens when if the chicken crosses the road and doesn't make it to the other side of the road but the 'other side'? The chicken joins a range of other ghosts in this fun spooky tale which would be another great candidate for acting out in reader's theatre.
August 26, 2021
Best. Book. Ever.
August 30, 2021
it's so cute 🥺
September 2, 2021
Great, punny book for elementary read alouds!
September 9, 2021
My first ever picture book entry. But a worthwhile one. Hilarious.
September 17, 2021
Great for pun lovers and those that reject peer pressure.
September 22, 2021
This is a dark humorous book. It is a kid's picture book and I enjoyed it, but I would not recommend it to every child or parent.
October 5, 2021
Very humorous - a little dark for the most sensitive of tots.
November 10, 2021
I had just read a book this morning that talked about why the chicken crossed the road & I truly hope that author reads this book.
It may be too spooky for some, but it was right up my alley.
It may be too spooky for some, but it was right up my alley.
November 18, 2021
I certainly won't be reading this at storytime, but I think it's pretty cute for kids (or grown-ups) with a macabre sense of humor.
November 19, 2021
I expected to like this more than I did. The art is cute and the chicken-crossing-the-street jokes are fun, but there’s not much else going on.
January 26, 2022
Another comedic noir snuff tale for kids that can't get enough of the scary stuff.
September 22, 2022
I got a kick out of this....but dont see myself using it for PreK storytime! 🤣
March 20, 2023
A picture book whose protagonists are all the ghosts of roadkill - pure genius.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews