Module 1: Souperchicken

Amazon. (2016). Souperchicken. Retrieved
from https://www.amazon.ca/Souperchicken
-Mary-Jane-Auch/dp/0823417042

Book Summary: Henrietta the Hen loves reading. She taught herself from the newspapers the farmer left behind during his coffee break. Her chicken aunties deride her for reading, but Henrietta ends up saving them, as she finds out the famer isn’t sending them on vacation, but to a chicken soup factory! Along the way, Henrietta imparts the importance of literacy to cows, pigs, and other chickens on their way to “vacations”. At the factory, Henrietta is able to release her aunties and they escape to live with a vegetarian farmer who only keeps livestock for their non-meat products, like milk and eggs.

APA Reference:

Auch, M.J., & Auch, H. (2003). Souperchicken. New York City: Holiday House.

Impressions: 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 didacticism.

Professional Review:

Peterson, L. (2003, March 15). Souperchicken (book) [Review of Souperchicken]. Booklist, 99(14), 1329. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/

K-Gr. 2. This latest entry in Auch’s popular “poultry parodies” will have educators as well as children applauding its heroine, Henrietta the hen, whose ability to read saves her aunts from becoming the next soup of the day. Henrietta’s aunties are going on a wonderful all-expenses-paid vacation--or so they think. But as the truck pulls away, Henrietta notices the sign, “Souper Soup Co.” Horrified, she flies into action. She reads the soup company’s address from a soup can label at the grocery store, then finds the exact location by reading a map. On her way to free her aunts, she comes across a load of pigs aboard a Saucy Sausage Company truck and some cows headed for the Happy Hamburger Company. After warning the animals about their fate, she implores them to “please learn to read! Reading can save your lives!” The grateful critters get the message, and so will kids. What better messengers than Henrietta and this clever tale, hilariously illustrated in wonderfully expressive, super-silly cartoon pictures. A good choice to celebrate reading during Children’s Book  Week--or anytime.

Library Use: It would be fun to host a program where the kids are introduced to animals (like a petting zoo). There could be round-robin style reading circles (or similarly categorized reading groups) where kids can listen/read/check-out books featuring different petting zoo animals, like chicken, ponies, goats, bunnies, etc. Souperchicken would be a great addition to the chickens category!

Kehoe, C. (2013, July 11). APFA play mobs sure to be a summer hit.
Retrieved from http://www.stonyplainreporter.com/
2013/07/11/apfa-play-mobs-sure-to-be-a-summer-hit