The Problem with Chickens

I have many of Bruce McMillan's stories each of them stands alone as wonderful additions to a class library. Especially the Problem with Chickens, it was clever, kind and funny. My class of third graders loved it. It is a class favorite now.

Let's say you have a favorite artist that you have discovered all on your own. Your favorite artist is Icelandic and likes to paint chickens. You, in contrast, are an author/illustrator of children's books. Normally, you illustrate your own work. In this particular case, however, you have decided to convince your favorite artist that they should put their paintings into your newest picture book. Now, if they refuse then you are no poorer off then you were at the start. However, if they agree you might end up with something along the lines of, "The Problem With Chickens". Written by Maine resident Bruce McMillan and illustrated by Icelandic one-namer Gunnella, this book is the duo's first collaboration and (in both cases) best-known work. Chickens are inherently silly fowl, and in this book they become rather adorable to boot. One of the finest examples of chicken/Icelandic women relationships. Now there once was a small Icelandic village that had a problem. Though there were plenty of eggs nearby, they were laid primarily by the wild birds that nested in the crags of the cliffs where the female villagers could not reach them. As a solution, the women decided to buy some chickens from the big city. At first this arrangement worked out well. The chickens were happy and the women were getting lots of yummy eggs. Unfortunately, this all changed when the chickens stopped acting chickens at all and began imitating the women. Even then, the women didn't mind. That is, until the chickens stopped laying eggs. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so the women come up with a solution. They slyly teach the chickens to exercise, then bodily throw them into the air to remind them what they are. Before long, the chickens are laying their eggs on the cliffs like the other Icelandic birds, but now the ladies have a solution to this problem. A solution, and a new method of chicken-related travel. McMillan was a fan of Gunnella's art long before they collaborated on this particular work together. Somehow when I read the review of this book in the New York Times, I fell under the impression that Gunnella had created the illustrations entirely on her own and Bruce McMillan had constructed a story around them. This is only partly true. Says McMillan on his website, "With so many paintings with chickens I knew I could develop a story. I did and Gunnella liked it. Then Gunnella filled in the few gaps where we needed new art". I would like to be able to say that the fact that most of these pictures came about before McMillan wrote a story for them isn't obvious. Unfortunately, when you pick up the book and read through it you often find yourself frowning slightly over pictures that don't quite match their narratives. At one point the text says that the chickens were happy with the women and that the, "ladies were overjoyed to have so many eggs for cooking. Their cakes were delicious. That is when the problem started". The picture

Really good book for the younger set. Even as an adult I found it intersting and funny.

This is one of my three-year-old daughter's favorite books. The expressions on the faces of the ladies, who are caring for some upstart chickens, are so funny and endearing. And you can't help but admire the ladies' pluck and creativity in solving their unusual problem. Also, the drawings of the Icelandic landscape are beautiful and make me yearn to see it for real someday.