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Summary
Summary
Jack the cat gets much more than he bargained for when he decides to build the perfect nest to attract the perfect chicken, who will lay the perfect egg, which will make the perfect omelet.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-This highly comical yet heartwarming tale begins simply enough. Jack, a hungry farm cat, builds a perfect nest to attract the perfect chicken to lay a perfect egg for a delicious omelet. Everything is going even better than planned when he lures a chicken, a duck, and a goose, and each one lays a yummy egg. Unfortunately, Jack cannot convince any of them to leave the nest though he tries with cries of "Flood!" "Fire!" and "Wolf!" Finally he appeals to their greedy nature by telling of the better and empty nest at the farm down the road. They take off immediately, but before Jack can enjoy the eggs left behind, they hatch, and, to his horror, the chicks target him as mom. He can't possibly eat them. In the end, as he snuggles with the tired babies, he realizes how perfect his nest really is. This amusing tale gives each of the nesters a different nationality (French, American, Spanish) complete with accent. Manders's gouache illustrations are a perfect complement to the text. The bickering poultry; the hungry, then desperate, and finally horrified cat; the demanding chicks; and the auxiliary characters are all given wonderfully detailed expressions that can be laugh-out-loud funny. Varying perspectives in the illustrations give a nice sense of movement to the tale. The text gives the mood and action of the story and the art really brings it to life.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
(Primary) Jack the cat constructs the perfect nest to appeal to a chicken, one who, he anticipates, will lay an egg he can make into a delicious omelet. The luxurious nest he provides, though, attracts not just a Spanish-speaking chicken (""-Caramba!"") but also a French-speaking duck (""Sacre bleu!"") and then an all-American goose (""Great balls of fire!""). To Jack's delight, each bird lays an egg-but to his dismay, all three refuse to budge from the nest. Days pass, and by the time Jack finally hits on a way to move the birds, the eggs have hatched, and Jack becomes an unwilling mama/maman/ma. John Manders's large, exuberant gouache paintings have exactly the right cartoony style, with everything just a little cheesier and larger than life. Funny details abound: Jack's chicken-attracting nest is padded with pillows, framed by Christmas lights, and has a welcome mat leading up to it. With its big pages and energetic telling, this will make a great story-time book. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Jack the cat is building the perfect nest, bound to attract the perfect chicken that will lay the perfect egg to make the perfect omelet. But Jack's plan hatches more than he expected. First a chicken, then a duck, then a goose, claims the nest, calls it perfect and refuses to leave. Cries of "FIRE!" "FLOOD!" and "WOLF" don't budge their ruffled feathers, until Jack hints the next farm over has an even better nest. Fowl free, he thinks; Jack's mouth waters in anticipation of an egg breakfast, lunch and dinner. But just as he reaches for the eggs, they hatch and immediately imprint on Jack as their father. To escape their peeping demands, he tries to hide, but the three fuzzy chicks find him and drag him back to the nest for warmth and sleep. Henpecked into a new paternal responsibility, Jack curls up with the chicks and realizes his nest is perfect. The gouache illustrations cluck with humor and details that add giggles: the face-on double spread of Jack in his bib overalls with whisk in one hand and spatula in the other; the wolf scene in which Jack wears a red riding hood; and Jack's egg-yolk eyes. Perfect fine-feathered fun. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
