PICTURE BOOKS

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?: A Hard-Boiled Mystery

by Brianna Caplan Sayres (text) & illus. by Mark Fearing
Holiday House. Sept. 2025. 32p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780823458271. PreS-Gr 1
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PreS-Gr 1–Inspector H. Poulet isn’t an ordinary hen, she’s a detective! Her friends the hens bring her a mystery, so she gets cracking on the case of the title: why did the chicken cross the road? Led on a merry chase full of egg-cellent puns, the inspector talks to all the usual barnyard suspects until the mystery is solved and the entire farm can celebrate their favorite detective. Children will enjoy the energy that the inspector has as she hurries through the barnyard, along with the bright illustrations and expressive animals. Spotting hidden clues, such as wrapped gifts, birthday hats, and balloons tucked away, allows readers a chance to solve the case themselves.
VERDICT This charming but slight story is for larger collections.
Reviewed by Melisa Bailey , Aug 01, 2025

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