The Chicken Dance

In his first novel, Jacques Couvillon presents teens with a heartfelt story about love, family and, of course, chickens. Eleven-year-old Don is instantly transformed from "the new kid" who nobody notices or cares about to a local celebrity when he becomes the youngest person ever to win his town's chicken judging contest. Finally, Don has friends who want to spend time with him and a mother who seems interested in what's going on in his life. Everything is turned upside down, however, when Don accidentally finds a birth certificate for a child with his birthday but with a different name. Who is this Stanley? And what does he have to do with Dawn, the dancing sister who has been dead for years and who no one can seem to get over? Set in Louisiana in 1980, this intriguing story of Don's breaking family and his struggle to find his place in it is all at once touching and tragic. Nothing is what it seems in this novel - except for the chickens, who despite their place in the book's title as as a moving symbol play a very minor role.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this book is the way that Couvillon has managed to present some very complicated and dramatic themes in the authentic voice of an 11-year-old. Often one runs the risk of making a character older than his years when writing about some of these themes, but Don's take on things is always believable for a child of his age.

I'd highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys books about families or friendships.

Overall Grade: A