From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2–Set in rural Pakistan, this story presents a unique look at sibling rivalry. Rani can't understand her mother's affection for Bibi, a chicken "with long, gangly legs and a silly look on her face." Ami brings the hen indoors when she is sick, uses Rani's old dress to make a nest, and even demonstrates the best position for egg-laying. After much pampering, Bibi finally does produce an egg, which is put away in a cupboard. When the hen disappears and is presumed dead, Ami is devastated and Rani tries to comfort her. Two weeks later, they hear a noise in the cupboard and discover a fluffy chick. The girl is smitten with the adorable creature, which she names Bibi Ki Buchi (Bibi's child). The tables have turned, and in the satisfying ending Rani confides, "Ami says I love Buchi even more than I love her, but that's just silly." The straightforward text does a good job of presenting the girl's point of view, highlighting her feelings of jealousy as well as her concern for her mother. Kyong uses vivid colors and patterns to evoke the setting. Filled with textured brush strokes and bright backgrounds, the paintings have a pleasing folk-art quality. Cultural details are naturally incorporated into both the text and pictures, allowing readers a glimpse into life in another country.– Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal
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PreS-Gr. 2. A girl named Rani lives with her mother and Bibi the hen. The child regards Bibi as silly; her mother, Ami, proudly calls the hen smart. "Ami never said I was smart," says Rani, nettled by the affection her mother showers on the hen. When they return from visiting Rani's father's grave, Bibi has disappeared. Feathers and dog prints lead Ami to blame Rani, who is
sure that she shut and locked the gate. Rani soon finds herself doting on the chick that hatches from Bibi's egg. Set in Pakistan, where Khan lived as a young child before moving to Canada, this picture book clearly depicts a child's jealousy and cleverly gives Rani an opportunity to change in the end while avoiding the usual schmaltz. Kyong, a Korean American, paints in a naive style, using fresh, warm colors. A pleasing book with an unusual setting.
Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
