Mama’s Chickens (Michelle Worthington, illus by Nicky Johnston, EK Books)
Mama doesn’t like chickens. But when she gets some of her own, they quickly develop a relationship of gentle camaraderie. Then Mama begins to forget things, like where she is going or the name of her favourite chicken, Chooky La La. She becomes frustrated and sad, which is upsetting for the chickens. But no matter how much things change, the love between them remains the same. Award-winning author Michelle Worthington has written over a dozen books for children. With Mama’s Chickens, her writing expertise, as well as her personal experience with dementia, is evident in the spare text and storytelling format. Rather than directly referring to Mama’s young children, Worthington allows Nicky Johnson’s soft watercolour illustrations to bring them to life. Their emotions—joy and love, confusion and sadness—are skilfully evoked in just a few deft pen lines. The result is a beautiful and sensitive portrayal of a potentially heavy subject, which will allow readers from two through six articulate and understand their own feelings. Its heart-warming messages about the steadfastness of love and the power of actions to step in when words and memory give way, will also be useful in discussions about other important issues, including mental health and aged care.
Books+Publishing reviewer: Jacqui Davies is a freelance writer and reviewer based in South Australia. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.
