INTERRUPTING CHICKEN

Three classic fairy tales are given a modern sensibility when Little Red Chicken interrupts her father’s bedtime reading by inserting herself into the stories in order to save the day. Andrew Watts captures all the affection between father and chick and the tenderness of their bedtime routine. Watts lends a conversational tone to his narration and gives each character a distinctive voice, with the father sounding patient and playfully exasperated. Watts also excels at creating anticipation and conveying suspense. The final story, “Bedtime for Papa,” has an ending that many families will relate to. Page-turn signals are clear and allow ample time for little ones to turn pages or make predictions. J.K.R. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2011]