AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds
GENRE
Traditional Literature (Folktale)
REVIEW
A cold wind's blowing in a Texas desert town, and Miss Billie Armadilly is in the mood to make her special chili. All the friends she asks to help her collect beetles, pick peppers, and chop cactus in order to prepare the dish, however, are too busy doing their own thing to help her. Peeved, she makes the chili on her own and initially turns her friends down when they later show up on her doorstep to eat. However, Billie soon realizes that chili eaten alone is just not very tasty. Lucky for her, her friends have already realized their error and have returned to make amends. This book is a wonderful southwestern twist on the Little Red Hen story, and the regional details and the illustrations' lush blues, reds, and browns are very evocative of the story's locale. The engaging character of Billie alone is reason to read this book aloud -- even when miffed, she is adorable, and reminiscent of a sweeter Miss Piggy. A great book for 3 and 4 year-olds to explore important themes of friendship and helpfulness.
LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
This book could be read aloud during preschool storytime along with other variations on the Little Red Hen story, such as Jerry Pinkney's traditional The Little Red Hen and The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza, by Philemon Sturges
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