Paraphernalia hopped down from her perch in the henhouse and set off along the path. ‘Good morning my dear and only friend,’ Dottie always said. ‘Do come in. Breakfast is almost ready.’
Dottie Devine lives alone. Although passers-by wave and say ‘hello’, her only friend is her chicken, Paraphernalia. Dottie and Paraphernalia share everything, but one day Dottie has an accident and Paraphernalia is left on her own for three weeks. When Dottie returns, she is surprised to find that Paraphernalia has a present for her: Paraphernalia has hatched seven little chicks. And, as the chicks grow and begin to lay eggs of their own, Dottie’s life begins to change. She begins to sell the eggs Paraphernalia and her daughters lay, and soon her life is filled with new friends, the customers who come to buy the eggs.
Paraphernalia’s Present is a beautiful picture book offering, with a charming tale of an unlikely friendship, coupled with the charming illustrative style of Dee Huxley. Paraphernalia is a well rounded chook with sweeping tail feathers and an expressive face, all of which is reflected in her owner’s ample curves, character-filled face and slightly wild orange hair.
Perfect for reading aloud, Paraphernalia’s Present will delight children and adults.
Paraphernalia’s Present, by Diana Lawrenson
ABC Books, 2008
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