Cheep! Cheep!

Publishers Weekly, February 13th (starred review)
"Take a family of adorable, three-dimensional chickens-constructed from velvety, cozily domestic terry cloth-add a text made up entirely of words with a giggle-inducing "eep" sound, and the result is this irresistible, inventive paper-over-board book. "Sleep" starts off the first spread, where a chicken family tries to get some shut-eye. A turn of the page shows a "Cheep" coming from the egg below their perch. Making a joint "Leap!" (the smallest chick uses its blankie as a parachute) the peeping protagonists land in a comic "Heap" and eagerly welcome their newest addition. Baicker-McKee (the FussBusters series) gives her absorbent cast minimalist facial features and highly streamlined appendages (the two-color backdrops are equally spare). But she comes up with an amazing array of expressions and comic poses; when the reconstituted family settles down on the perch for a group slumber party, the two smallest downy siblings share a priceless conspiratorial wink and hug. Young children will undoubtedly view the chick family as toys come to life and be thoroughly enchanted. Here's hoping another diphthong inspires a follow-up from this talented team."

School Library Journal, March 2006:
"Three chicks are keeping watch over an egg. As time wears on, they fall asleep, only to be awakened by a noise. The sound marks the hatchling's arrival, which throws the chicks into a tizzy. They cheep, they peep, they creep, and they leap into a heap to meet the newest member of their family. After they welcome it, they all fall back to sleep, including the baby. Using one-syllable, easy rhyming words, the story comes alive through the almost 3-D collage art. The illustrator uses terry cloth, a few well-placed feathers, and an eggshell or two to create adorable chicks sure to capture a child's heart. Like the text, the pictures are minimal but together they strike the perfect balance to create a charming picture book for sharing with the very young."