All by Myself
by Stephanie Shaw; illus. by Emilie Gill
Preschool, Primary    Peachtree    32 pp.
4/23    9781682634875    $18.99

Because Hen is determined to do things herself (“I’m not a baby chick anymore!”), she declines invitations from Cow, Horse, and Pig to help her carry a bag of flour to her home, where she plans to bake some bread. Fox sits waiting in the forest’s ferns and butters her up when they meet (“You are undoubtedly fabulous at everything you do”), so Hen invites him to join her. But never fear: Gill’s detailed illustrations indicate that smart Hen is on to him. The side-eye and scowl she directs at Fox show she won’t be fooled. After Fox dramatically lunges at her and her pot of soup, Shaw returns readers to Hen’s three friends, who suspect trouble. They race to Hen’s intending to save the day but discover that she has everything under control. Hen serves as a sympathetic stand-in for this satisfying story’s audience. Gill’s fine-lined illustrations rest on a palette of muted earth tones with a vivid copper that brings a visual pop to the pages. There’s much playful humor (“Hen appeased me with the peas!” says Fox in the end) in this entertaining take on the classic “Little Red Hen” story.

From the March/April 2023 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.