4-H Guide to Raising Chickens
Grade 5 Up—This title has everything one ever wanted to know about chickens but didn't know enough to ask. Eight chapters divide the text into broad topics such as getting started, choosing a breed, housing equipment, and exhibiting chickens. The double-column text takes nothing for granted as far as basic knowledge is concerned. Even so, it is not insulting to more-knowledgeable readers, and not only explains "how," but also "why." Line drawings and charts give additional information, and the excellent color photography is profuse—at least one photo appears on almost every page. Captions are usually informative. The final chapter on resources contains a list of hatcheries by state; a list of chicken-breed clubs and associations; mail-order poultry-supply sources; books, magazines, newspapers; and general and university Web sites. This title is so thorough it should not be limited to juvenile readers. Every county extension office and any library serving a rural community should own it.—Eldon Younce, formerly at Harper Elementary School, KS(c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.