In this friendly introduction, Gibbons covers topics from egg and embryo formation to hatching and growth, and "chicken chatter" to chicken farms. She offers lots of solid information as well as bits of trivia that will be of interest to this audience. Cartoon illustrations are large, colorful, and plentiful, but the terrific pictures of fowl are much more successful than those of children. Labeled drawings provide information on the "Differences Between Chicks, Hens- and Roosters," and the development of an embryo. Some common rooster breeds are depicted, including the dapper Rhode Island Red and the silly-looking Polish variety. Difficult words are clearly explained with pronunciation tips. Jillian Powell's worthy From Chick to Chicken (Raintree, 2001) has wonderful large photographs but not quite as much detail. Gibbons's title takes up where Millicent E. Selsam's classic and still useful Egg to Chick (HarperTrophy, 1987) leaves off and should be popular in libraries and classrooms. Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.