Argus
Michelle Knudsen
Illustrated by Andrea Wesson

Candlewick Press
February 2011/ ISBN 9780763637903
Children’s picture book (Ages 4-7)
Amazon

Reviewed by Bob Walch

When Sally’s class begins a science project that involves hatching and raising a baby chick, she doesn’t realize that she’s in for the surprise of her life. The egg the little girl receives is larger than the others and has an odd color combination: green with yellow spots.

Sally points this out to her teacher, but Mrs. Henshaw’s reply is, “Now, Sally, don’t be difficult. Some eggs just look different.” Different is right!

When the egg hatches, out pops a green scaly creature with yellow eyes.

Naming her “chick” Argus, Sally realizes her chick is completely different from the other chicks. Not only does he look different, but he is so much bigger and his behavior is very, very different.

Because he is a bit of a handful and she can’t play with him the way the other children play with their little chicks, Sally begins to think that she might be better off without Argus. Then Argus disappears, and Sally discovers she really has become attached to her very large, green, scaly “chicken”!

As you read this funny tale about a very odd “chicken,” its message soon becomes clear. Sometimes it takes awhile to discover we really can become attached to and love something that is a bit different. Obviously Argus is not a chicken, but it won’t take long for your child to recognize what he really is and that makes the situation even more humorous!