Mr Chicken Goes to Paris (also known as Monsieur Poulet va 'a Paris), was first published in Australia in 2009.Mr Chicken is an over-sized, grumpy looking fowl with attitude...who happens to enjoy travelling.
The front papers show us Mr Chicken's passport, his to-do list and some pics of him reading books on Paris. There is also a letter from his friend Yvette, inviting Mr Chicken to visit her in Paris.
Naturally, Mr Chicken sees all the usual sights and sites of Paris.
Everywhere he goes he attracts a crowd, discreetly checking him out & wondering who or what he is.
Yvette looks delighted to be showing her friend around, but Mr Chicken and most of the Parisians look decidedly unhappy if not out-right grumpy!
Curiously though, Mr Chicken Goes to Paris is a charming, silly, adorable story.
The end papers show us some 'photographs' of Mr Chicken & Yvette around Paris, a thank you postcard to Yvette...plus several news stories in French papers and on French TV exclaiming "grand monstre" above a picture of Mr Chicken!
Leigh Hobbs obviously feels rather attached to Mr Chicken as a quick google search revealed a sculpture and oil painting by Hobbs featuring Mr Chicken. He has also written a follow up story called Mr Chicken Lands on London.
Hobbs is quoted as saying that he works very hard to make it look easy. And certainly part of the enjoyment of Mr Chicken is in the simple, unassuming style used by Hobbs.
However Mr Chicken's success actually lies in its incongruity.
Grumpy, but cute.
Bizarre, but very funny.
Mr Chicken gets under your skin; he makes you smile even as you're shaking your head in disbelief.
a new one to me, it sounds like a lot of FuN !
ReplyDeleteIt's great fun...and so is Mr Chicken in London :-)
DeleteWhat a beautiful book illustration! This interesting character looks like a grumpy Mr. Potato Head. ;)
ReplyDelete