A Backyard Pet

The Chicken Squad

by Doreen Cronin, Stephen Gilpin (Illustrator)

Now an animated series on Disney Junior!

The Chicken Squad is back for their eighth (mis)adventure, and this time the fowl siblings adopt unique pets in this Level 2 Ready-to-Read from the bestselling author of Click, Clack, Moo.

Sugar sees all her siblings have different pets in the backyard. At first, she thinks some of them are silly (how can wildflowers be a pet?). But she wants to join in the fun and find a backyard pet, too!

Genres: Pets, Childrens, Picture Books, Humor

32 pages, Paperback

First published July 30, 2022

About the author

Doreen Cronin is the author of many bestselling and New York Times bestselling picture books, including Click, Clack, Quack to School!; Click, Clack, Surprise!; Click, Clack, Ho, Ho, Ho; Click, Clack, Peep; Click, Clack, Boo!; Dooby Dooby Moo; Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure; Bounce; Wiggle; Duck for President; Giggle, Giggle, Quack; Bloom; and the Caldecott Honor Book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type as well as The Chicken Squad series and Cyclone. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sugar wants to play, but her siblings are all busy with their unique pets. Sugar doesn't care for pet butterflies or worms, and she isn't even sure if flowers should actually qualify as pets. Can she find someone or something to spend time with?

Kids will likely find the pets of these chicks very entertaining. They are certainly out of the norm. The activity Sugar eventually winds up doing is something anyone can do. Cloud watching. The illustrations in this really help bring the story to life.

[Rebecca Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this motley crew of chickens from their longer chapterbook series! This was a very cute story with a structure that makes it much easier for beginner readers who are building confidence. the chickens go through a series of unorthodox "pets" that could make for a cute and funny discussion with kids.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sugar wakes up late and goes out searching for a sibling to play with. They are all too busy playing with their "pets" and Sugar wants to find a pet of her own too. Will she be able to?

Sugar's siblings have interesting "pets". Sugar initially doesn't consider any of them to be a real pet, until she discovers her own.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great chicken names

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked how the reader was challenged to rethink their definition of a pet and what pets can do for you. But I wish we saw more specific ways that each pet was beneficial

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
The chicken squad are back, but not solving mysteries, just being chicks, hanging out with their "pets".

[Elizabeth S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gotta love a book where the characters have such unique pets.