Novellas about the life and times of an artistic chicken
I received a copy of this book courtesy of the author.
Big thank you to my colleague Kez for these fantastic photos
“Impeccable Petunia Part I: Claws, Paws, Feathers and Jaws” and “Impeccable Petunia Part II: The Two Tails” by Katie Christine and illustrated by Jonathan Edward are two parts in a series about a young backyard chicken called Petunia. Low on the pecking order which is determined by breed, size and ferocity, Petunia instead spends her time tending to a little corner of the yard. When her talents for colour and arrangement are spotted by the woman who lives in the house, Petunia is privileged to be invited inside to oversee the interior decorating. However, while Petunia is busy with her new vocation, the politics of the hen house are soon overshadowed by a much more deadly threat.
These two books are quirky tales told in the style of animal stories. Christine is a descriptive writer who shines a new perspective on the everyday detail of an average backyard. I enjoyed the chicken politics the most and I very much enjoyed the enigmatic cat Macy, whose character is developed further in the second book. The second, longer, book goes off campus and Petunia experiences more adventures in a dangerous, urban setting.
One of the things I struggled with a bit about this book was the pacing. I think occasionally Christine got caught up in the detail of the physical environment at the expense of what was happening in the plot, and occasionally it was a bit hard to follow what was going on.
An original story that makes you think that those ladies in your backyard may have more complex lives than you ever imagined.
Tinted Edges 