Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
There aren’t too many epistolary novels for children. This is a fun one with a lot going for it. Young Sophie moves with her parents to an old farm they inherited after Great Uncle Jim dies. Transplanting from Los Angeles is tough: they are isolated, lonely, and at a bit of a loss for what to do with the farm and its decades-long accumulations of stuff. Sophie begins writing letters to Uncle Jim, and her Abuelita (grandmother), also recently deceased. The letters are lonely and reflective and curious. Sophie asks them both for advice about making friends, about how to help her parents through their dire financial situation, about the awkwardness of being the only brown person in her new environment. Sophie also begins corresponding with Agnes of the Redwood Farm Supply Company, writing for advice and information concerning a chicken she has discovered on their property that is… unusual. Sophie gradually discovers more unusual chickens, as well as a neighbor who appears to be trying to steal Sophie’s chickens. The story’s resolution is satisfying, as Sophie earns a place in her new community, has an occupation, and a ray of hope for her struggling family.
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