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Souperchicken
When Henrietta becomes the first chicken in her coop to learn how to read, she uses her skills to save her aunties from becoming chicken soup.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
66 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jane Auch
48 books70 followersMary Jane Auch also writes as MJ Auch.
The thought of becoming a writer never occurred to MJ Auch as a child. Her only literary efforts in those days were the plays which she and her girlfriend, Noreen, wrote for their marionettes. They produced these extravaganzas in Noreen’s garage and organized the neighborhood boys into a sales force to sell tickets and refreshments.
Summer visits to both of MJ’s grandmothers led to her fascination with chickens. One grandmother had a small backyard flock and the other grandmother and two bachelor uncles had a large farm that supplied eggs to half of Long Island. MJ learned that a flock of chickens had almost the same range of personalities that could be found in a classroom, from the quiet, shy chicken to the big bully.
MJ loved books and read constantly. She wrote stories, drawn in comic book style with speech balloons for the dialog. Her interest in drawing continued through high school, and she went on to become an art major at Skidmore College. After graduation, MJ headed for New York City to seek fame and fortune, but after a year of designing prints for men's pajamas, she decided she wanted to do something more meaningful with her life. She enrolled in the Occupational Therapy program at Columbia University, which led to some wonderful years of working in a children's hospital near Hartford, Connecticut.
On a brief stop home to visit her parents before transferring to a new job in Denver, she met Herm Auch, a graphic artist and editorial cartoonist for the Rochester newspaper. It was love at first sight, and MJ never made it to Denver. They were married in 1967 and within a few years had produced a daughter, Katrin and a son, Ian. They moved from the city to a small farm, complete with chickens, ducks, and geese. Armed with a huge collection of Mother Earth News and absolutely no practical experience, they tackled farm life with gusto, gaining much comedy material for books MJ’s future books.
As the children grew older, MJ began to look for work in her original field of art. Like Jenna's mother in Mom Is Dating Weird Wayne, she had a brief stint as a “zit zapper” at a school picture factory. Then she started illustrating for Pennywhistle Press, a national children's newspaper, and this sparked her interest in illustrating children’s books.
In the summer of 1984, MJ took a week-long children's writing conference on Cape Cod. She tried to write a picture book manuscript to take to the conference, but instead found herself writing a middle-grade novel. When her instructor, Natalie Babbitt, told of starting out as an artist and finding she could paint better pictures with words, something clicked. MJ finally knew that she wanted to a writer.
She started sending manuscripts to publishers, writing four full-length novels before she sold the first one. Then she sold a second book to another publisher that same week. It had taken two years and thirteen rejections, but MJ had finally reached her goal!mShe continued writing books for older kids and abandoned her dream of illustrating for a while. Then, after nine books, she wrote and illustrated The Easter Egg Farm. This set in motion a series of picture books featuring poultry involved in the arts.
The Auchs have now become a family of artists. Their children are grown and pursuing art careers of their own. Kat, a graphic artist, is now working as Associate Art Director for Scrapbook Answers Magazine in San Francisco. Ian has been a graphic artist and 3-D animator and is now Assistant New Media Editor for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper. Ian is also a metal artist and created the chicken-sized beauty parlor chair for [b:Beauty and the Beaks|1918127|Beaut
The thought of becoming a writer never occurred to MJ Auch as a child. Her only literary efforts in those days were the plays which she and her girlfriend, Noreen, wrote for their marionettes. They produced these extravaganzas in Noreen’s garage and organized the neighborhood boys into a sales force to sell tickets and refreshments.
Summer visits to both of MJ’s grandmothers led to her fascination with chickens. One grandmother had a small backyard flock and the other grandmother and two bachelor uncles had a large farm that supplied eggs to half of Long Island. MJ learned that a flock of chickens had almost the same range of personalities that could be found in a classroom, from the quiet, shy chicken to the big bully.
MJ loved books and read constantly. She wrote stories, drawn in comic book style with speech balloons for the dialog. Her interest in drawing continued through high school, and she went on to become an art major at Skidmore College. After graduation, MJ headed for New York City to seek fame and fortune, but after a year of designing prints for men's pajamas, she decided she wanted to do something more meaningful with her life. She enrolled in the Occupational Therapy program at Columbia University, which led to some wonderful years of working in a children's hospital near Hartford, Connecticut.
On a brief stop home to visit her parents before transferring to a new job in Denver, she met Herm Auch, a graphic artist and editorial cartoonist for the Rochester newspaper. It was love at first sight, and MJ never made it to Denver. They were married in 1967 and within a few years had produced a daughter, Katrin and a son, Ian. They moved from the city to a small farm, complete with chickens, ducks, and geese. Armed with a huge collection of Mother Earth News and absolutely no practical experience, they tackled farm life with gusto, gaining much comedy material for books MJ’s future books.
As the children grew older, MJ began to look for work in her original field of art. Like Jenna's mother in Mom Is Dating Weird Wayne, she had a brief stint as a “zit zapper” at a school picture factory. Then she started illustrating for Pennywhistle Press, a national children's newspaper, and this sparked her interest in illustrating children’s books.
In the summer of 1984, MJ took a week-long children's writing conference on Cape Cod. She tried to write a picture book manuscript to take to the conference, but instead found herself writing a middle-grade novel. When her instructor, Natalie Babbitt, told of starting out as an artist and finding she could paint better pictures with words, something clicked. MJ finally knew that she wanted to a writer.
She started sending manuscripts to publishers, writing four full-length novels before she sold the first one. Then she sold a second book to another publisher that same week. It had taken two years and thirteen rejections, but MJ had finally reached her goal!mShe continued writing books for older kids and abandoned her dream of illustrating for a while. Then, after nine books, she wrote and illustrated The Easter Egg Farm. This set in motion a series of picture books featuring poultry involved in the arts.
The Auchs have now become a family of artists. Their children are grown and pursuing art careers of their own. Kat, a graphic artist, is now working as Associate Art Director for Scrapbook Answers Magazine in San Francisco. Ian has been a graphic artist and 3-D animator and is now Assistant New Media Editor for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper. Ian is also a metal artist and created the chicken-sized beauty parlor chair for [b:Beauty and the Beaks|1918127|Beaut
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 11, 2016
A true delight, Souperchicken manages to be wildly entertaining while imparting a good message and humane values to boot.
Henrietta is the only chicken on the egg farm who has bothered to learn how to read. While her relatives are out doing chicken things, Henrietta curls up with a good book. The other hens just don't "get it." However, Henrietta's skills come in very handy when the farmer tells her older relatives they are going on "vacation"--and Henrietta can see from the side of the truck that this is no "vacation" at all--but a one-way ticket to the chicken soup factory!
Thanks to her quick thinking, Henrietta is able to look up the address of the factory and free her friends before they end up canned. "Learn to read!" Henrietta says. "It may save your life someday!" And the hens keep running until they find the perfect farm--one in which the mailbox is stuffed with vegetarian cookbooks!
The vivid illustrations are an absolute riot, and will enchant adults and children alike. I laughed out loud at the sight of a group of plump hens squeezed into bathing suits and carrying pool toys. In addition to being funny, Souperchicken also imparts the value of reading and the consideration of the feelings of all animals--including those we most commonly think of as ingredients.
Pair this one with "Chicken Run" and celebrate Respect for Chickens Day.
Henrietta is the only chicken on the egg farm who has bothered to learn how to read. While her relatives are out doing chicken things, Henrietta curls up with a good book. The other hens just don't "get it." However, Henrietta's skills come in very handy when the farmer tells her older relatives they are going on "vacation"--and Henrietta can see from the side of the truck that this is no "vacation" at all--but a one-way ticket to the chicken soup factory!
Thanks to her quick thinking, Henrietta is able to look up the address of the factory and free her friends before they end up canned. "Learn to read!" Henrietta says. "It may save your life someday!" And the hens keep running until they find the perfect farm--one in which the mailbox is stuffed with vegetarian cookbooks!
The vivid illustrations are an absolute riot, and will enchant adults and children alike. I laughed out loud at the sight of a group of plump hens squeezed into bathing suits and carrying pool toys. In addition to being funny, Souperchicken also imparts the value of reading and the consideration of the feelings of all animals--including those we most commonly think of as ingredients.
Pair this one with "Chicken Run" and celebrate Respect for Chickens Day.
December 10, 2015
Henrietta the super smart Hen goes on an adventure to rescue her aunts from the Souper Soup Factory; using her reading skills to prevent them all from being canned!
Lazy/heartless parents will complain about the hidden vegetarian agenda. But hey, my way of thinking? It's a great way to let your children know what they are truly eating and to let THEM decide how they feel about it!
Lazy/heartless parents will complain about the hidden vegetarian agenda. But hey, my way of thinking? It's a great way to let your children know what they are truly eating and to let THEM decide how they feel about it!
March 24, 2012
A heavy-handed message about the importance of reading undergirds this story of a chicken who's able to save her aunts from the soup factory because she can read her way to solving the problem. For me the story was too long and my interest waned.
August 18, 2007
Too much to explain to a child who likes to eat meat!
April 8, 2015
From Inara's mom: Most of the jokes were beyond a child's understanding and I did not realize it would be a plug for vegetarianism.
August 7, 2017
This is a fun book about a chicken who likes to read. Because she is reading all the time, Henrietta falls behind in her egg production. Sadly, many of the hens fall behind and they're not even reading. The farmer decides it's time to make some changes and tells the chickens that he is sending many of them on a vacation. Hmm...after you hear the farmer and the driver of the truck talking in pun after pun, you realize this is not a vacation they will like. Henrietta needs to use her reading skills to help the hens and other friends along the way. I think using this book to represent the importance of reading would be one use. Using it during a study of figurative language to point out all the puns would be wonderful as well. Finally, I think using it during Thanksgiving when I read the books about the turkeys who escape the Thanksgiving table because of their smarts might be yet another spot.
July 9, 2023
Here's all the motivation your children need to learn their phonics.
Kidding. Sorta.
What WOULD be the practical application of a story -- a clever story, beautifully illustrated -- about how Henrietta the Reader-type Chicken was able to save the rest of her family?
Saving them from being slaughtered. Even worse, being slaughtered, then canned.
Excellent quote from Mary Jane Auch, speaking as Henrietta:
"You'll be wearing a can if you don't come with me!" Henrietta screeched.
FIVE STARS for a tale well told. (Even if imo the central premise might be questionable.)
Kidding. Sorta.
What WOULD be the practical application of a story -- a clever story, beautifully illustrated -- about how Henrietta the Reader-type Chicken was able to save the rest of her family?
Saving them from being slaughtered. Even worse, being slaughtered, then canned.
Excellent quote from Mary Jane Auch, speaking as Henrietta:
"You'll be wearing a can if you don't come with me!" Henrietta screeched.
FIVE STARS for a tale well told. (Even if imo the central premise might be questionable.)
July 15, 2018
This is a story about the power of reading. Henrietta's aunties stopped producing eggs and get to go on "vacation." But Henrietta reads the side of the truck and realizes they're going to be made into chicken soup, so she sets out on an adventure to save them.
It's a cute book and a nice ending.
It's a cute book and a nice ending.
September 14, 2018
OK I gave this book 3 stars because it was interesting but there are a few things I mess with the plot although I know the book is for kids so but I thought no all of those chickens escaping should’ve at least caused a mention of an alarm. But otherwise it was cute it made me laugh and places. All those names :-) I liked it.
March 18, 2018
Filled with amusing wordplay. Might lead to an interesting author's purpose discussion.
November 15, 2018
Fun, cute story extolling the virtues of reading
August 31, 2021
When I want to encourage my students to work hard learning to read, I bring this book out. It is a fun way to teach them how important reading is. I love it!
November 15, 2022
Cute book of a little chicken that tries to save everyone because she has the special ability of reading.
December 1, 2011
Henrietta is an exceptional chicken. She doesn't like to lay eggs; she likes to read. One day, all of her Aunt chickens are sent on a vacation because the egg production was low. Henrietta didn't really understand why they were being sent on vacation for that, so she decided to investigate. She goes to the super market and checks the ingredients on all the cans of chicken soup and finds an address to the soup company and decides to travel there. On the way, she ran into pigs and cows that were also going on "vacation." She then finds the truck carrying her Aunt chickens. She tells them about how they are going to be made into soup and helps them escape the factory once they arrive there. On their way back to the farm, Henrietta checked in all of the mailboxes of the houses they passed until they found a farm in which a vegetarian lived. All of the chickens decided to stay there and live as well as learn to read from Henrietta.
Very cute book with adorable illustrations.
Very cute book with adorable illustrations.
October 27, 2010
Henrietta the chicken, likes to read. She reads a lot. Her aunts think that this is a waste of time, especially when the farmer leaves her at home on their vacation because she hasn't laid enough eggs. But when she reads the truck's sign of "Souper Soup Co." she knows she has to rescue her aunts.
Why I picked this up: A library magazine mentioned that Auch is retelling fairy tales with chickens. Interested, I grabbed the book of hers that we had, and have ordered the rest.
Why I finished it: Entertaining, bright and I whole heartedly support the moral that reading can save lives.
Why I picked this up: A library magazine mentioned that Auch is retelling fairy tales with chickens. Interested, I grabbed the book of hers that we had, and have ordered the rest.
Why I finished it: Entertaining, bright and I whole heartedly support the moral that reading can save lives.
January 14, 2013
Souperchicken is a beautifully illustrated book with a positive message! Henrietta is a hen who LOVES to read. When her aunts get tricked into being hauled off and made into soup, Henrietta uses her reading skills to save them and other animals along the way. This book highlights the importance of learning to read. My only qualm is that even though I find it lighthearted and well intended, some parents may not appreciate the vegetarian message. On the whole, I think that children would really enjoy being read this book.
August 20, 2016
Read for 5420 class
The puns in Souperchicken are delightful! They appear not only in the dialogue between the farmer and the delivery truck driver, but also in the illustrations, where Henrietta reads Could the Sky Fall? by Chick N. Little and Great Eggspectations. Souperchicken is a good story for reluctant readers who may think reading isn’t good for anything. This is an obviously exaggerated reasoning as to why reading is important, but it still gets the point across with humor and without too much pedantry.
The puns in Souperchicken are delightful! They appear not only in the dialogue between the farmer and the delivery truck driver, but also in the illustrations, where Henrietta reads Could the Sky Fall? by Chick N. Little and Great Eggspectations. Souperchicken is a good story for reluctant readers who may think reading isn’t good for anything. This is an obviously exaggerated reasoning as to why reading is important, but it still gets the point across with humor and without too much pedantry.
August 7, 2009
Henrietta is a chicken who loves to read. When the other hens are sent off on "vacation" by the farmer, Henrietta uses her reading ability to discover the true purpose of the trip and rescue her aunts.
The message of the book, "Reading can save your life!"
The puns are corny, but my sixth graders love this book every year.
The message of the book, "Reading can save your life!"
The puns are corny, but my sixth graders love this book every year.
April 17, 2011
Henrietta the chicken has taught herself to read! She reads everything. When a mysterious truck arrives at the farm and takes some of her friends away on a “vacation”, Henrietta becomes curious. As the truck pulls away, Henrietta reads the writing on the side of the truck. Thus begins a frantic search, and Henrietta proves that “reading can save your life!”
December 14, 2011
Henrietta is often criticized for reading when she should be laying eggs. But when all of the chickens are sent "on vacation" Henrietta realizes something isn't right when she reads the back of the truck: "Souper Soup Co." Henrietta quickly becomes Souper Chicken! She must save her friends! But will she be able to in time?
January 18, 2017
This book is ok, but I think the adults reading it to the kids might get more out of it than the kids themselves do (they may not get some of the literary references or the food-based humor when the hens are being loaded onto the truck). The illustrations are also a little odd. But, as a librarian, I always appreciate a book about the importance of reading.
July 30, 2009
If you liked the movie, Chicken Run, you'll love this hilarious spoof on how valuable literacy can be! These chickens think they're going on vacation and it's up to their well-read niece to save them.
June 29, 2010
Very cute story. Hannah loves this book! The only thing I didn't like about it was when the chicken read the words "beheading room" "plucking room" "canning room". I thought that was a little much for Hannah's age. That's why I gave it 4 stars. If Hannah reviewed it, she would give it 5 :)
July 20, 2016
What a great book about a chicken who learns to read, and as a result saves her entire coop from becoming Chicken Soup! See, it's important to learn how to read. As Henrietta the chicken said, "It could just save your life!"
March 23, 2013
Before Henrietta the chicken became an author in The Plot Chickens, she first had to learn to read and have some adventures. Henrietta just makes you forget she's a chicken and makes you think of her more like someone you would know and quite possible want to be friends with.
July 24, 2014
Henrietta the ...Chicken HEN (of course) saves many lives after she teaches herself to read and becomes a compulsive reader. HaHa.
Very cute book with great story & pictures.
The sequel "The Plot Chickens" is my favorite of the Chicken series.
Recommend to children and adults.
Very cute book with great story & pictures.
The sequel "The Plot Chickens" is my favorite of the Chicken series.
Recommend to children and adults.
October 7, 2009
I really liked this book and plan to find a buy a copy for Lila to help her understand our choice to be vegetarian. I also like how it stresses the importance of being literate!
August 25, 2010
Not one of my favorite books but children like the story line. I don't think it's a book that children will love hearing all the, but once/twice may be ok.
July 29, 2011
Cute story. Fun introduction to the importance of reading.
November 1, 2012
Silly story about Henrietta rescuing her aunts from being turned into soup. Colorful, textured illustrations.
themes: chickens, farms, reading, vegetarianism
themes: chickens, farms, reading, vegetarianism
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews