Wendy by Gus Gordon

I am hoping Somewhere else will be short listed for our CBCA 2017 awards.  With this in mind we will explore all of the books by Gus Gordon with our classes this term.  I loved exploring Herman and Rosie with so many of our classes when it was short listed in 2013. Every reading revealed more and more details.  Wendy is an earlier book first published in 2009.

From the title page it is clear Wendy is no ordinary chicken - you can see scientific illustrations of these on the end papers. Wendy vaults through life.  Take a close look at this illustration.  I love the way Wendy is using a pogo stick.

Following the tradition of the "grass is greener" Wendy leaves the farm in search of fame and adventure. She really does run away and join the circus where she performs dangerous stunts which grow in size and scale until finally she crashes.  Lesson learnt?  Maybe...

Gus Gordon loves to include cheeky details in his illustrations.  Look here at Wendy's first performance - over a double-decker bus. You will see Martha's mouse pie, Harry's spiced frogs (slimier than most), Mrs McGinty's tinned roaches (they really stink) and the bus is going to Peckham.

I would pair this book with Daisy by Brian Wildsmith and Peggy by Anna Walker.  You can see a little more of Wendy here at the Storybox library.

Children will love this one-of-a-kind daredevil chicken.