Reviewed by Susan Hancy
Fran the chicken is unlike all other business
chickens. She does not dress conventionally. She is not punctual. She is not
neat. And she certainly can’t sit studiously behind a computer working through
a pile of paperwork, especially if there is an opportunity to prank her
colleagues. But Fran’s boss is displeased with her, and she promises him she’ll
try harder. She dresses like everyone else. She arrives on time. She keeps her
desk tidy for a while. She even tries to get through all the paperwork, working
late into the night alone in the office.
This, however, doesn’t make Fran happy and her boss is
still not satisfied. Fran is “laid off” (spot the chicken pun) with the clear
message that she is not a good business chicken.
The illustrations perfectly complement the text to
convey the contrast between Fran’s creative, flamboyant character and the
monotony and uniformity of office work life. Some cupcakes depicted in a couple
of illustrations in the first part of the story provide the visual clue to the
venture Fran decides to embark upon after being fired and, despite not being
suitable for an office job, she discovers that she is an excellent business
chicken.
My kids loved the story and the illustrations. They
especially loved the concept that you can do something fun and creative for
your job and be successful. We all agreed that we want to be like Fran. This is
another crackerjack book for kids aged 4--7 by author-illustrator Jess
McGeachin and we think it’s his best since Frankie and the Fossil, a
CBCA Picture Book of the Year Notable last year.
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