Have You Heard About... Chicken Cheeks

…the beginning of the ends?  Michael Ian Black and Kevin Hawkes’ Chicken Cheeks takes a straight-forward look at the backside of a variety of animals.  As the animals stack themselves into a tower, children will learn their names and socially-acceptable terms for their hind ends.  From “duck tail” through “polar bear derriere” and “toucan can” to “duck-billed platypus gluteus maximus,” the pile of critters (and bottoms) grows to an exciting conclusion.

This book is a favorite with both adults and children in my family.  The animals are depicted in a colorful, slightly-cartoony style with wonderfully expressive faces and bodies.  The text is limited to the names of animals and hind ends, but the pictures do a perfect job of telling the short story.  After the first read, watch for the ants on each page!

Reviewed by Fran (staff)