Many of us remember the cry—“The sky is falling, the sky is falling”. Paul Galdone retells this classic story in his own definitive manner. In Henny Penny, the unfortunate character has been hit in the head by a falling acorn and thinks that her cry is true. She makes the decision to run off and tell the king and meets several “fowl” friends along the way—Cocky Locky, Ducky Lucky, Goosey Loosey and Turkey Lurkey. Henny and her friends head on toward their end in more ways than one. The ending of this tale is not the happily ever after that some readers might expect, but Galdone explains the ending with an endearing family picture of Foxy Loxy, his wife and seven cubs—they were only feeding themselves.
The simple text in this book is wonderful for younger students. The bright, action filled illustrations draw the eye and keep readers anxiously awaiting the next stop on Henny Penny’s cumulative journey. Although readers may find Henny Penny’s version of reality impossible (who would really think the sky is falling), the characters she meets along the way have no problem believing her. As with other traditional literature, Henny Penny “reflects society, providing insight into the human condition as well as representing the good, the bad, the strengths, and the flaws in all of us” (Murphy, Lecture Notes, 2007). This cumulative tale will be a favorite among readers of all ages, despite its less than ideal ending. Galdone’s retelling and illustrations make this a great choice for a folk tale unit or for a read aloud.
I would recommend this book for students in grades K-2.
Keywords associated with this book: folk tale, traditional fantasy, hen, bird, humor, fox, and trickery
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