The energetic, comical illustrations, in Boynton’s signature style, will elicit giggles and go far to make the book’s important point.

This riotous book hits all the right notes and does so succinctly and hilariously.

So forgive yourself, chickens! But the best thing is…instead of relying on someone else-like a chicken-to strengthen your ego, say a generous daily “WOO HOO!” to yourself. That alone is a pep talk, enhanced by the wisdom that making mistakes allows everyone to learn and demonstrate they did their best. But what if your cheerful chick errs and doesn’t do what it set out to do? Don’t worry-your cheery chicken just needs a reminder that everyone makes mistakes. Your feathered champion will be right there, encouraging you all the way, with a loud “WOO HOO!” that’ll keep you going and remove any doubt you’re super terrific. What’s better than a cheerleading chicken?Īre you ever blue, unsure, tired, or overworked? Do you ever feel lost or overwhelmed? This uplifting book, expressed in delightful, jaunty verse, explains how to lift your spirits pronto: What you need is a booster chicken telling you’re doing great even when you’re not so confident, as when you’re learning or practicing a new skill, for instance. They cycle ever to the right across the spreads, which take advantage of the book’s unusual trim size to open to a 6.5-inch-tall by 18-inch-wide panorama that’s somehow both cozy and expansive.Īnother delightful outing in this winsome Japanese series. Doi’s trademark illustrations, made with colored pencils to evoke the look of mid-20th-century lithographs, depict the protagonists with pale skin, rosy cheeks, and black pageboys. Not to worry: The gumdrops turn into balloons that float everyone safely back down. After some tea, each buys a raincoat, and they set back out on a trip that only turns more magical: The rain starts “falling from below,” stopping at the bottoms of their wheels and lifting them up to treetop level (don’t question the physics Chirri and Chirra certainly don’t trouble themselves) another shop has huge windows from which the kids can view the upside-down rain outside again, they join some animals gathered around a gumdrop tree: “Chomp chomp, nom nom, yum yum.” The upside-down rain ends, and animals, children, and bikes are all in the canopy of the gumdrop tree. Shortly after the drops begin to fall, they happen upon a shop that is “only open on rainy days.” Inside, a squirrel family enjoys tea, and the pig shopkeeper welcomes the adventurers. Of course, their ride in the rain is far from a slog. It’ll take more than rain to dampen the moods of indefatigable bicyclists Chirri and Chirra.

Chirri & Chirra by Kaya Doi