The Loopy Coop Hens

Stoeke trades her popular Minerva Louise character for a trio of similarly dim hens—Pip, Dot, and Midge—who "love Rooster Sam" for several reasons, not least because he can fly. The simple text and sentences are ideal for new readers, but it is Stoeke's loose, unfussy artwork that emphasizes the slapstick humor and carries much of the character development. The fowls' body language is especially hilarious in scenes where they attempt to fly and find themselves flat on the ground, or when overconfident Rooster Sam strolls by. Despite the traditional picture book format, the plot is divided into chapters that resemble an early reader; in "The Moth," the hens begrudge a moth's ability to fly ("We're big," says Dot. "We should be able to fly"), before deciding that having wings, toes, and—unfortunately for the moth—beaks is enough. And the hens' disappointment in discovering that Rooster Sam can't fly at all is short-lived. After all, "His toes are golden yellow," and "his comb falls just so, over one eye." Being in love can feel like flying, and for these hens, that's enough. Ages 3–5. (Mar.)