The Rooster's Gift

As a librarian, I am always happy to find a satisfying story that children simply love. This books sings with great dialogue, character development, humor, loyalty, and friendship. I read it every year to my second graders and never tire of the retelling. My students laugh, sigh, and come to "aha" moments every time I read it. This is a little gem of a book.

This is a wonderful story of friendship and loyalty, BUT only if you're the Rooster! It's a one-sided relationship in which the Rooster is supported by the smallest hen who just happens to be fat, round, and lacks the ability to do anything but constantly affirm the pompous Rooster. If you do choose to use this text, it is important to examine issues of power and friendship from all characters' perspectives. If this is a story about giftedness, great questions to ask are, "Who has a gift?" and "Is affirmation of proud Other really a gift?"

This story is a delight for both parents and children. The artwork is cheerful and amusing, the tale rolls along with just the right balance of suspense and repetition, and the ending is very satisfying. What really makes this book special, though, is the rich and tender message that shines through the story. It is a story of loyalty and compassion, of pride and its fall, and of growing and learning through disappointment. I have added this book to my personal 'storytelling library.'