Chicken Cheeks

By Michael Ian Black; illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

PICTURE BOOK

Let's face it - nothing makes you chuckle more than jokes about rear ends! Adults, kids, everyone giggles when it comes to this part of the anatomy. Sometimes, books about bums can be off-color, but in the case of this giggle-inducing picture book, it is quite harmless yet hilarious. As the book description so aptly tells, "This is a story with a beginning, a middle, and a whole lot of ends." It starts off with a bear on a ladder looking up into a tree. What is out of his reach? That's a surprise, but what I will tell you is this industrious bear gathers the help of his animal friends to create a very tall "stack" in the hopes of reaching the top of the tree. It's during the stacking of animals we encounter a moose caboose, chicken cheeks, penguin patootie, and turkey tushy, to name a few. The simple rhyming phrases matching animals with their respective posterior ends makes for a giggle-inducing read. The illustrations are also wonderful, showcasing each animal as he precariously balances on top of another animal. My favorite illustration is of the turkey on top of the polar bear, and he is holding his nose as the poor turkey's tushy is on top of his head! You'll have to read this book to find out if the animals ever reach the top of the tree. This book is very funny, and doesn't depict butts in a toilet-humor way, so it's completely appropriate for young children. Parents, be prepared for repeat readings of this one!