Disaster Dad: Chicken Chaos
What could possibly go wrong when Finn and Emma’s Mum goes away for a week leaving Dad in charge? Especially since she wrote a 3-page ‘Master Plan’ outlining food, activities and emergency information, and prepared and labelled meals for each day. As it turns out, a lot can go wrong when Dad tries to implement Operation Birthday Surprise for Mum!
Narrated by ten-year old Finn, this slapstick story of a Dad who has the best of intentions but not a lot of know-how has Finn problem-solving, Emma naming chickens and all of them baking their first ever cake. Dad sees the positive in all situations no matter how badly they turn out and the family have a lot of laughs along the way.
The text is well-spaced and accessible, with plenty of white space on each page. Funny and expressive illustrations capture the comedy and chaos of successive disasters. The repeated motif of the egg hatching and growing from chick to chicken provides a clue to what Dad is planning and reflects the story’s humour. The characters’ varied reactions to each situation and their personalities are cleverly and clearly conveyed in their facial expressions and body language – for example, even with cake batter spattering around the kitchen Dad is belly-laughing, eyes closed and mouth wide open.
In this reviewer’s opinion, it is just a pity that the humour relies on the ‘inept but loveable Dad and Mum who manages everything’ stereotype; however, if you find this funny then this is the book for you.
