HOW TO DRAW A BRAVE CHICKEN

An inevitable and much-anticipated follow-up to the team’s How To Draw a Happy Cat (2022).

“Chickens are known for being…well…chicken,” an unseen narrator admits, “but follow these instructions and you can draw a brave chicken.” Simple directions ensue: an oval for the chicken’s body, dots for her eyes. Uh-oh. A frightened Chicken hides behind a pail. Giving her a knight’s suit of armor and a horse will make her look brave; the narrator explains how to draw these items. Then a dragon arrives. What will make Chicken feel brave? Friends on a trampoline can help (among them Cat, the hero of Berlin and Matison’s earlier book). The dragon flies off, and, feeling courageous, Chicken wants to pursue. She asks for a rocket ship, which the narrator initially rejects. But when Chicken begins crying, the narrator quickly agrees. A rocket ship takes the friends to the moon, where the ravenous dragon awaits. Chicken proposes a creative solution: drawing an ice cream truck. Bits of bright color enhance the action, while Chicken’s path to bravery will gently bolster many young readers. Matison’s firm linework and clear steps make replicating his charmingly childlike drawings look doable, inviting kids to try. It’s a blast, and as the narrative concludes, Chicken has proof that she’s brave—but now her pal Dog is hiding under the pail. Stay tuned.

A winning combo of easy-to-draw figures and a wacky, interactive storyline with a subtle emotional point.