Mr Chicken Goes to Paris by Leigh Hobbs is a multi award winning picture book which undoubtedly deserves a place in My Book Corner. Leigh’s humorous style, clever use of illustrations and witty lines make this a picture book that adults will enjoy reading.
Like all masterfully created picture books, the story here isn’t simply told by words alone. Watch carefully as the crowds surrounding Mr Chicken get larger and larger during his stay, until despite standing in front of star attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and the Mona Lisa all eyes (and cameras) are fixed firmly upon Mr Chicken. Well I guess a very large, yellow chicken climbing up the Eiffel Tower, eating frog-leg soufflés and buying tea towels of the Mona Lisa would cause quite a stir!!
I loved the fresh approach here, the simple yet endearingly effective illustrations and the great sense of humour evident on every page. Leigh Hobbs so effortlessly captures the funny nuances of tourist behaviour – seriously, WHY do people buy souvenir tea towels?!? The illustrations oh so effectively capture the magic of Paris, the inclusion of snippets of its beautiful language add to the atmosphere.
Loved the end papers of Mr Chicken Goes To Paris – this is where you can really tell that a book has been lovingly crafted. Handwritten notes by Mr Chicken on ‘Words I may need to know in Paris’, a postcard to Yvette alongside snippets from the French media in response to their extraordinary visitor add delightful humour to this engaging picture book.
Also available, Mr Chicken Lands on London!
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