Review by Booklist Review
Zoey is unlike other chickens. She plans to travel in space. The other barnyard animals are indifferent and discouraging when Zoey invites them along. But Zoey and her skeptical sidekick, Sam, a pig, do manage to get airborne in a basket tied to balloons. Once in the air, they dodge a baseball, a kite, and birds, which Zoey insists are all really space objects. Ironically, back in the barnyard after they crash (unhurt), it is Sam who beguiles the other animals with tales of how he and Zoey were hit by an asteroid, dodged a comet, and battled aliens. Oversized pages with digital illustrations awash in soft colors show a comfortable farm setting, making it clear that this tale is firmly grounded, and the space illusions are only in Zoey's imagination. The body language and facial expressions of the animals imbue each with a good dose of character. It may not be out of this world, but this mild adventure provides readers with plenty of interesting traveling companions.--Enos, Randall Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Zoey, a headstrong and imaginative chicken with an aviator cap, persuades a pig named Sam to fly into space with her on a "ship" that's really a basket tied to a bunch of helium balloons. The basket actually gains some altitude, and the view Kober (The Flying Hand of Marco B.) provides-a Grant Wood-esque landscape at sunset-really is magical; the story itself seems to hover for a moment to let readers take it in. Close encounters with a baseball ("An asteroid!" says Zoey in full pretend-play mode), a kite ("A comet"), and a flock of birds ("Alien attack ships") send the basket back to Earth. Back at the barnyard, Sam recounts the adventure to their fellow barnyard animals and gives Zoey all the credit, noting that she "always finds a way." Lehrhaupt's (Please, Open This Book!) nonjudgmental tone is a breath of fresh air, and while the ending is lackadaisical, it's a pleasure to spend time with an intrepid character who gets to see her goofy dreams through. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow Literary. Illustrator's agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-An intrepid chicken and her hungry pig pal set off on an imaginary adventure. After some planning, Zoey, a take-charge hen sporting an aviator hat and goggles, decides it's time to travel into outer space. She asks the other farm animals to come along, but only Sam the pig takes her up on the offer, though what he really wants is a pie. To every argument brought up by naysayers, Zoey finds a positive angle. When Pip the mouse warns that the trip might be dangerous, Zoey confidently responds, "Not dangerous.. an adventure!" When Clara the cow points out that Zoey doesn't have a ship, the determined chicken declares, "Not a problem!.... an opportunity!" Finally, Sam and Zoey lift off (in a basket tied to a large bunch of balloons) and sail high over the farm. Though readers will clearly see that the pair are barely above the treetops-certainly not in space-they'll appreciate Zoey's penchant for make-believe. According to Zoey, a baseball whizzing by is an asteroid, a kite is a comet, and a flock of birds is an alien attack. Though hesitant initially, Sam eventually embraces the pretend adventure and-once they're both safely back on the ground-relays the exciting events to their farm friends. Young kids will be inspired by Zoey's can-do attitude and outsize imagination. Kober's digital illustrations feature softly shaded farm scenes with cartoon-style characters whose facial expressions and body language add humor. Creative design and placement of text, such as a gigantic "CRASH!" that appears behind the characters on their way down to Earth, create drama and make for a lively read-aloud. VERDICT A fun story for inspiring positive thinking, problem-solving, and old-fashioned imaginative play. A fine purchase for picture book collections, especially those in need of kindergarten read-alouds.-Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal c Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Launching with a dramatic and intriguing start ("Zoey wasnt like the other chickens. She had dreams. She had a plan. She had a pig"), this farm-fresh picture book trails Zoey as she boldly marches through the pages in her aviators cap, heading for outer space. Henry the dog, Pip the mouse, and Clara the cow all manage to deflect her invitations to join the expedition, but Sam the pig follows loyally along: "Zoey always finds a way," Zoey improvises a spaceship with a basket and some helium balloons, and she and Sam take off. The two dont get far before they are hit by a baseball (Zoey calls it an asteroid), tangle with a kite (a comet), and finally come crashing down after an encounter with some sharp-beaked birds (alien attack ships!). Bright, digital illustrations on spacious double-page spreads extend the comically exaggerated personalities of the animal characters and their situations and surroundings. Heedless Zoey and pie-obsessed Sam complement each other well throughout the story. After a perfect crash landing, Sam regales all the other wide-eyed animals with the exciting tales of their outer-space exploits. He gives Zoey all the creditand she gives him a moon pie to round out this spacey adventure in friendship, imagination, and storytelling. julie roach (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
It's hard not to admire a chicken with dreams of going into space. Moreover, this chicken has a planand a pig. The text is dry and concise; the characters clearly represent familiar character types. Zoey, the would-be-astronaut, is supremely self-confident, even when adjusting her "plan" on the fly. Sam, the pig, is a little concerned about going into space before lunch, especially before pie, but he believes in Zoey and will follow her anywhere. The other animals have insurmountable reservations and may even lack imagination. The dog is content with the space he's got; the mouse is too timid; the cow is too practical, pointing out that Zoey doesn't have a ship. But helium balloons tied to a basket make a fine ship, taking the doughty protagonists higher than chicken and pig have gone before. Keen-eyed observers will have already spotted the balloons in several of the matte, pastel-colored digital illustrations. As the duo gains altitude, the perspective makes a slight change from horizontals to aerials. Space is perilous. When they crash-land, Zoey and Sam tell the others tales of asteroids (a ball), comets (a kite), and aliens (birds). A moon-pie reward for Sam completes the adventureuntil the next one. What a flight of imagination. (Picture book. 3-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
