In this companion to Chicken in Space (2016), that cute chick Zoey comes up with another idea to delight her barnyard friends, especially her admirer, a pig named Sam. This time, Zoey wants to go to school like the kids who live near the farm. Sam has long wanted to go because he's heard there are snacks. But Zoey has loftier goals. Gathering up crayons and books, she proceeds to make a classroom in the barn, though Sam does it find it somewhat lacking (Where's the teacher? And where are the snacks?). Zoey takes on the role of teacher, and though she doesn't quite use her school supplies for the intended purpose, she does something better: she teaches her students about imagination. Humor abounds in the appealing digital art, especially in the form of the story's characters, from love-struck Sam to creative Zoey, who knows that crayons aren't for coloring they are for creating adventures. The short text makes this a good read-aloud for prospective students, who will learn there's more to school than snacks.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2017 Booklist

Fresh from an adventure in space (Chicken in Space, 2016), Zoey the chicken this time helps her pig, Sam, achieve his dream of attending school. Of course, a makeshift classroom in the barn with Zoey as the teacher isn't exactly what Sam had in mind, but as long as there's snack, he's in. Clara the cow is as pessimistic as ever, but studious, glasses-wearing Pip the mouse is looking forward to reading, and artistic Henry the dog to coloring. But Zoey's lessons are rather unconventional: books are for "building imagination," and crayons are for "creating adventures." Kober's digital illustrations show a castle made of books for the former, and for the latter, the accessorized students pose in front of crayon-drawn backdrops depicting space, a circus, and a pirate ship. Zoey's next direction leaves both Clara and Sam up in arms: math simply cannot be skipped, nor can snack, even if the alternative is recess. Clara saves the day with an addition problem involving pies, and Zoey pitches in a real pie to satisfy Sam, and all agree that school is the bestbecause they are together. The animals' postures and expressive faces are great fun, especially practical Clara's, and the other three students throw themselves wholeheartedly into the fun. What will this quirky chicken plan next? (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

PreS-Gr 1-Zoey, the chicken with a big heart and a bigger imagination; her friend Sam the pig; and their other barnyard friends, Clara the cow, Henry the dog, and Pip the mouse are back in this follow up to Chicken in Space. This time, snack-obsessed Sam dreams of going to school, largely because "There are snacks at school." Zoey, being the good and loyal friend she is, sets off to make Sam's dream happen. She sets up the barn as a classroom-and proves to be a great teacher. After building a fort out of books, drawing pictures with crayons, and a quick math lesson from Clara, Zoey finally presents Sam with the pie he's been seeking all day. When Sam is asked which part of school he liked best he answers, "Everything! Because I was with you." To which Zoey responds, "If you thought that was fun, wait until you try recess." Kober's softly hued illustrations add humor through the facial expressions and expertly capture the specific personalities of each barnyard character, carried over from the previous book as well. This is sweet tale of friendship, school and appreciating your friends-quirks and all. VERDICT Give to fans of the first installment or youngsters with first-time or back-to-school jitters. This works well as a read-aloud or one-on-one.-Megan Kilgallen, Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Having conquered the skies in Chicken in Space, Lehrhaupt's poultry protagonist, Zoey, steps into the role of teacher at a barnyard school. Not every animal is convinced of Zoey's qualifications or curriculum ("Books are for reading! Crayons are for coloring! And you can't skip math!" protests Clara the cow), but Zoey's energy and outside-the-box thinking win the (school) day. Kober's grainy, posterlike images manage to feel vintage and contemporary in one fell swoop, and readers will respect the outside-the-box wisdom in Zoey's assertion that books are for "building imagination" and crayons for "creating adventures." Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow Literary. Illustrator's agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.