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By:
tara,
on 9/12/2009
Blog:
Tara Lazar
(
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Remember those embarrassing dance moves your Aunt Myrna unveiled at Cousin Frannie’s wedding? She flapped her arms, wiggled her tush and tumbled onto the parquet floor?
Well, that’s not this chicken dance.
No siree, this Chicken Dance is a brilliant barnyard romp featuring two hilarious hens and their idol Elvis Poultry, thank you. (Thankyouverymuch.)
Author Tammi Sauer proves her rural farm upbringing of tending cows at dawn was worth it, ‘cause this little lady knows how to milk the humor.
According to henhouse pals Marge and Lola, Elvis Poultry is a hunk of bawking love. When the barnyard talent show is announced, the two find out the grand prize is two tickets to see Elvis’ Final Doodle Doo concert. They must win!
But the ducks waddle by and wave a wing at the hopeful hens. “Don’t bother, drumsticks.” Seems ducks are top dog at this farm.
Marge and Lola test out their talents but the ducks quack at every failed attempt. When Marge and Lola finally hit the stage–following solid goat, pig and cow acts–they stammer and gulp. A duck heckles, “What’s the matter? Are you chicken?” so they begin to flap, shake and bawk. Just regular chicken stuff. But the crowd loves it and crows for more.
The next spread features Marge and Lola performing dance moves that would make Aunt Myrna shake in her boots. They vogue, point like John Travolta, domo arigato misuta robotto, and walk like an Egyptian. Illustrator Dan Santat makes chickens boogie better than So You Think You Can Dance finalists.
I can’t reveal the contest results, as that would spoil all the feathery fun. But I will tell you that Elvis is in the building. Err, I mean barnyard.
The jokes even extend beyond the story, with end pages that provide step-by-step “Disco Chicken” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo” dance moves. Funky album covers replace the typical staid author and illustrator photos.
Yes, just one look at the blinged-out, white-caped Elvis Poultry on the front cover, and you know this ain’t your Aunt Myrna’s paltry poultry impersonation.
Can’t get enough of the silliness?
Publisher Sterling Kids is holding a video contest now through October 31. Just shake your tail feathers along to the official music and post it on YouTube.
And tell them Elvis Poultry sent ya.
Chicken Dance
Written by Tammi Sauer
Illustrated by Dan Santat
Sterling Kids, August 2009
Want it? Sure you do!
Had a book signing in Tulsa today.
At one point, a mom, dad, and little boy about the age of 4 walked into the store. The boy saw Cowboy Camp, ran up to my table, and yelled, "I HAVE THAT BOOK!!!!"
The dad smiled. "We have to read it to him ALL the time."
What a nice thrill to know that Avery has such a good home. :)
* * * * * * *
Soon afterward, an aunt wanted three copies of Chicken Dance. We were chatting and I found out she had already purchased a copy of the book earlier in the month and had read it with her nieces. She told me they had all laughed and laughed upon hearing the story. Today one of those nieces was in the hospital recovering from open heart surgery. The aunt bought all three girls their own copies. This afternoon they were going to spend some time reading the book, laughing, and making Elvis Poultry sunglasses. (I had the makings for the craft that can be found at www.elvispoultrybooks.com.)
* * * * * * * *
Much of the time being a writer can be hard, hard, hard. But sometimes...it is beautiful.
In August of 2004, Tammi and Cynthea meet at the SCBWI-LA Conference. It was practically critique-partner-at-first-sight!
In fall of 2004, they work tirelessly on their WIPs. One WIP is called CHICKEN DANCE. Another WIP is called THE DARE.
FIVE YEARS LATER...lookie what Tammi and Cynthea find in the B&N near Cynthea's house:
Sometimes things are worth the wait. :)
Look what Jama did in celebration of CHICKEN DANCE's Official Release Date:
http://jamarattigan.livejournal.com/308297.html
Jama, I'm throwing an impromptu concert in your honor.
Rock on!
Bawk-Ba-Gawk!
Eggs-tra, Eggs-tra, Feed All About It!
Curl your lips (or beaks, as the case may be), wiggle your wattles, shake your tail feathers. It's time to bawk and roll! WooHoo!
Rawkin' album covers featuring author and illustrator.
About a week ago, I announced that Elvis Poultry was in the building. Today, his creators, author Tammi Sauer (Cowboy Camp), and illustrator Dan Santat (Guild of Geniuses, Secret Life of Walter Kitty), have got plenty to crow about, because CHICKEN DANCE (Sterling, 2009) has officially hatched!
Picture Book for ages 4-8, 36 pages.
True, this heeeelarious, rollicking barnyard romp of a story snuck into a few hen houses a little early. But now, it's obvious that the world was mighty hungry for a good cluck with pluck, because the first print run has already sold out!
For those of you who were hittin' the hay, Chicken Dance chronicles Marge and Lola's attempts to win tickets for the Elvis Poultry concert. All they have to do is win the Barnyard Talent Contest. This would be far easier if they didn't have to outscore a flock of heckling ducks, who are quick to quack, "All a chicken can do is bawk, flap, and shake."
Have no fear! Marge and Lola are bent on swooping the coop with their indomitable talent. All they have to do is find it -- bowling? juggling? tightrope walking? flying? swimming? "Get some floaties, chickens!" Oh, those taunting ducks! In the end, Marge and Lola are forced to "wing it." Can they best tractor-eating goats, pyramid building pigs, udderly high jumping cows, and those snotty surfing ducks? Holy haystack, they're all shook up! But this can be a good thing, no? Especially if the Top Bird is into that sort of thing.
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Tammi really struts her storytelling stuff in this book: tight structure, snappy dialogue, droll humor, a superior spoof and spin. Dan has totally channeled his inner Elvis with energy that flies off the page. From the dance-step endpapers, to the full range of fowl emotions pulling the reader deeper into the dramatic highjinks with every page turn, to the mock-serious album cover author photos, this book rawks hard. But don't take my word for it.
Chicken Dance has already earned bales of glowing reviews. About Tammi's brilliant chicken scratch, Kirkus said, "The zippy narrative features punchy dialogue and witty interactions; creative wordplay abounds ("Let's bawk and roll!"). Droll delivery soars high, advancing the storyline to its playful conclusion." Publisher's Weekly praised Dan's riotous explosion of warm, vibrant, knock-your-feathers-off illos like this: "Totally in sync with his collaborator, Santat's (Always Lots of Heinies at the Zoo) sculptural, mixed media pictures exude an old-fashioned, theatrical drama that lifts the many jokes -- visual and textual -- into sublime silliness."
Tammi and Dan have shaken up the book world with their online promotional efforts: A Chicken Dance Facebook Fan Page, Elvis Poultry website and Twitter Feed, and a special YouTube Video Contest. They are just having too much fun (I admit being partial to illustrators who wear t-shirts that say,"Real Men Eat Cupcakes"). I mean, right?
So, are you ready to bawk and roll? Just dip your beaks into today's celebration trough (no chickens were hurt, no eggs were used during the making of this soup), and crow your loudest in honor of Tammi and Dan. Eggs-a-lent job, guys!
Today's Special: Elvis Poultry Soup de Coop (sprinkled with feed and guaranteed to make you bawk, flap and shake).
And here's the perfect sandwich to go with your soup: the Elvis Poultry Special -- fried banana, peanut butter, and chicken feed:
photo by SarahNYC.
Now, my little chickies, fancy step your way over to your nearest indie or fave online bookseller to score a copy or two of Chicken Dance. Just for fun, flap your wings at the salesclerk, and don't forget to keep an eye out for Elvis Poultry himself, who's currently on his Final Doodle Doo Tour! ☺
Some Eggs-tra Feed:
Tammi Sauer Official Website and Live Journal blog.
Dan Santat Official Website and blog.
ElvisPoultryBooks.com.
Special interview with Elvis Poultry and Tammi Sauer at Sterling Children's Books.
Dan at 7-Imp.
Your homework:
from Cheryl Huntley's photostream.
More Soup of the Day posts here!
*Spreads posted by permission, text copyright © 2009 Tammi Sauer, illustrations copyright © 2009 Dan Santat, published by Sterling Publishing. All rights reserved.
For more pics Elvis has taken while on the road, check out the CHICKEN DANCE Fan Page on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chicken-Dance/103651392689
Also, should you have a minute to spare, a mini-CHICKEN DANCE commercial can be found here: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Chicken-Dance/Tammi-Sauer/e/9781402753664/?itm=1.
The chickens were mentioned on Fuse #8!
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/1910046391.html
Bawk-bawk-ba-GAWK!
That Betsy Bird sure does rock.
(Um, I never claimed to be a poet.)
...what goes on in the life and times of a rock and roll rooster?
What does he eat? What does he read? What goes on behind the scenes of the Final Doodle Doo Tour?
Then please follow a certain someone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/elvispoultry.
It'll have you all shook up.
(No need to be a Twitter-er to check this out. Updates are added all the time. This is one BUSY rock star rooster.)
Want to know if B&N has your book?
Go to www.barnesandnoble.com.
Type in the title of your book.
Then...off to the right side...you will see the words "Check store availability."
Click that.
Then type in the zip code of your choosing.
You will soon see if your book is or is not currently in stock.
For instance...the Oklahoma stores are still waiting for their CHICKEN DANCE copies.
Might I suggest you simply make a more enjoyable trip to the bookstore and, say, pick up your copy in Honolulu?
My heart is pounding. And I'm holding chickens responsible.
Next week, Dan and I will be unveiling the offical web site for CHICKEN DANCE, the links for awesome chicken-y freebies, information about a contest with bawtastic prizes, a trailer, and the secret thing I mentioned yesterday...!
Okay. Must go take some deep breaths.
I've been holding onto a secret something for days now, and it has been a true test to my willpower.
But...
if all goes according to plan, the secret will be revealed in the near future at the oh-so-awesome Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.
It's a video secret something.
And it rocks.
Reason #123891182 Why Dan Santat is Awesome:
Dan will be doing manuscript consultations at the Summer SCBWI Conference in Los Angeles. Because of this, he gets to select 3 of his books to be on sale at the SCBWI Bookstore.
One of his picks involves some rockin' poultry!
*pauses to fan self and gush*
A book I played a part in will be on sale at the SCBWI Bookstore!!!
Which brings me to...
Reason #123891183 Why Dan Santat is Awesome:
Dan got the idea for the two of us to put together a small book launch-y thing on one of the evenings. A video camera, some dancing, and an opportunity to win a creation by Dan will be involved.
And, of course, I can't end this post without Reason #123891184 Why Dan Santat is Awesome:
Check out the newest resident at the Santat Household. Expect that rooster to be making some appearances in an upcoming trailer.
Rock on, people.
Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
This picture you took...
made me boo-hoo-hoo!
Our very own ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
giogas snapped this picture of the chickens on a back-lit poster at BEA.
*swoons*
The kiddos and I just returned from a brief stay in Kansas. While there, I made everyone in town as well as a few people in a neighboring town take a look at my copy of CHICKEN DANCE. It was such a thrill to share the book with my people.
Now that the hiatus is over, I need to get back in writerly gear. Tomorrow's plan? Stare at a very blank page.
Anyone want to see the first 3 spreads of CHICKEN DANCE?
Click here to start: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9781402753664&MICTID=38
(A 4th spread is also included, but that spread doesn't appear until way later in the book.)
Marge: Did you catch Pumba's "tastes like chicken" line?
Lola: I did! So rude! The rest of the show was fab, but, if you ask me, the savanna has nothing on the barnyard.
_____
Okay. Fine. I'm done.
Maybe.
Ever since I received The Best Mail Ever on Friday, I have been toting this thing with me every place I go.
So far the chickens have gone to a birthday party, participated in a sleepover, cheered on J and her friends in this weekend's b-ball tournament, and ridden shotgun with me to the grocery store.
The book has proven to be the Go To accessory for me. With it's embossed cover (all of the cape's studded bling) and just-the-right additions of gloss (the red jewels and sunglasses frames), it complements any outfit and every situation.
Coming Soon: Chickens on the Loose Contest
If you, too, want to be hip and happening, pick up your CHICKEN DANCE accessory August 1. Post a pic of you taking Marge and Lola out on the town, out on a drive, or out for a nice bowl of chicken feed. Contest details will be made available once the chickens officially fly the coop.
My editor just surprised me.
Wanna know what I'm holding?
(One hint: It totally bawks!)
Can. Barely. Breathe.
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Oh my gosh! Chicken Dance sounds hilarious. Great review Tara.
Aw, Tara. I’m all shook up.
Thanks so much for the oh-so-rockin’ review.
Sounds like it deserves all the hype it got!
Love this book! Thanks for the rawkin’ good review
!
Sounds cute. And appropriate for September, which I hear is National Chicken Month!
LOVE the Sauer/Santat team! They. Are. AWESOME! Great book, great review!