Business Chickens (Jess McGeachin, Puffin)

Business Chickens is the latest picture book from Melbourne-based writer/illustrator/designer Jess McGeachin. Known for his CBCA-recognised titles such as Fly and Frankie and the Fossil, McGeachin has produced a new story with plenty of humour that will appeal to both children and adults, and is a perfect family read-aloud. Fran is a business chicken, but unfortunately, she’s not a very good one. Unlike her colleagues, she’s loud, eccentric and a bit of a mess. She loves to bake treats and doesn’t take her job seriously enough. After a performance review, she tries her best to fall in line but is soon laid off. The story has a quirky and inspiring twist as Fran finds her place in the world and shows readers you don’t need to fit in to be successful. This ‘follow your dreams’ message could easily slip into something more didactic, but McGeachin’s charming approach makes it feel fresh and unique. With the book’s bright, engaging illustrations and clever word placement, young readers and their families will fall in love with outsider Fran and root for her the whole way through. Business Chickens teaches kids to be courageous and draw on their own strengths, even if they’re a bit different to everyone else’s.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Karys McEwen is a librarian, middle-grade author, and the vice president of CBCA VIC Branch. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Category: Reviews