A retelling of a traditional tale in which a hen must complete a long list of tasks before she brings water to the rooster choking on a bean.

When people danced to Joe Beebee’s music they forgot about bad knees, tight shoes, backaches, blisters, and beetles . . . They forgot sickness, sadness, and sin. Joe Beebee’s music, folks say, will take you up so high, your problems look small enough to stomp on. But, worries a plain brown hen, can it make a quiet rooster sing? Can it save her best friend from becoming Quiet Rooster Stew? Will Joe Beebee even play for chickens? With art as fun as waltzing on the moon and with words as lively as a fiddle, this book captures the power of music to heal and of friendship to endure.

A happy-go-plucky rhyme adventure of chickens frolicking in an urban environment as they run rampant all around town! "Urban backyard chickens go on a madcap tour of the city in this rhyming romp. . . the narrative bounces off the tongue. The marker-bright illustrations are frenetic and filled with humorous details." --Kirkus Reviews "Hysterical rhyming book about chickens escaping from their yard. Funny shenanigans ensue with each towns-person and animal they encounter. This will appeal to lots of kids around here whose families own chickens!" --Buttonwood Books & Toys, bookseller recommendation "Reading this out loud was so much fun! The rhyming and rhythm added a musical element to reading the book. And within the rhymes there are great vocabulary moments, too! . . . The backmatter of the book gives information about keeping urban chickens and some fun chicken facts. It is a great way to connect the story to science." --Unleashing Readers Chickens on the loose. Chickens on the lam. Zipping from the yard, As quickly as they can. Chickens don't just live on farms--they're in the city too! In the store, on the street, they bring mayhem and excitement to all the surprised people. See where these mischievous chickens go in this brightly illustrated picture book told in verse. Also included at the back are fun facts and tips for the urban chicken farmer.