The Rooster's Gift [Mass Market Paperback]

Pam Conrad (Author), Eric Beddows (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1998 | Age Level: 4 and up

Cot Cot Cot Cot Ca-toodle Tooooo! 1996 Children’s Books (NY Public Library)
1996 Choices: The Year’s Best Books (Publishers Weekly)
Notable Children’s Books of 1997 (Booklist)Rooster has a special Gift.He believes that when he calls ‘Cot Cot Cot Ca-toodle tooooo’ he makes the sun come up.All the chickens, especially Smallest Hen, are in awe.And Rooster is pretty proud of his Gift as well . . . too proud.Until one morning he oversleeps, and the sun rises without him!Pam Conrad is in top form with this heartwarming story of self-affirmation and unconditional love that’s as funny and endearing as Ferdinand the Bull.The artwork by Eric Beddows is as glorious and inspiring as a sunrise.

1996 Children’s Books (NY Public Library)
1996 Choices: The Year’s Best Books (Publishers Weekly)
Notable Children’s Books of 1997 (Booklist)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A rooster is disappointed when he realizes the sun comes up without his help. PW said in a starred review: "This barnyard tale is exceedingly well-craftedAfilled with shining descriptions of sunrise, engaging characters, captivating dialogue and a storytelling voice that rings true." Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2?It takes the author a long time to get to the point in this story about recognizing and accepting one's talents. When a new clutch of eggs hatches, the farmer's wife expresses her hope that one of the chicks will be a rooster with "The Gift." Although readers never discover what she means, the rooster assumes it is his ability to "make the day" by calling up the sun each morning. He is disconsolate when he discovers that the sun can rise perfectly well without him. An admiring hen helps him to realize that not every chicken can call to the sun, and the book ends with Rooster acknowledging the quality of his powerful "Cot Cot Cot Cot Ca-toodle tooooooo!" His loyal friend Small Hen reinforces a secondary theme of unconditional love. The pictures, executed in bright, highly saturated browns, blues, reds, and greens, are at first glance quite appealing, featuring fluffy chicks, elegant roosters, and scenery that recalls the farming country vistas in Wanda Gag's Millions of Cats (Putnam, 1977). But repeated readings expose the illustrations' repetitiveness, rotating among interior views of chicken coop, the coop's roof where Rooster crows, and east-facing views of the admittedly glorious sunrise. Children who enjoy a leisurely exploration of a theme may find this just their thing; others may find some of Aesop's fables, with their briskly stated moral conclusions, more to their liking.?Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperTrophy (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064434966
• ISBN-13: 978-0064434966
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #393,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A charming book with a deeper message, April 7, 2000

By 

Mary Beth Foster (West Lafayette, IN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rooster's Gift (Mass Market Paperback)

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.'

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorites!, April 18, 2009

By 

Joyce E. Roby "Joyce Roby" (Menlo Park, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rooster's Gift (Mass Market Paperback)

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.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only if you're the Rooster, July 9, 2008

By 

Emily Robertson - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rooster's Gift (Mass Market Paperback)

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?"