For Sure For Sure
by Hans Christian Andersen, translated by Mus White,
illustrated by Stefan Czernecki.

Dr. Andrea Deakin's News and Reviews of Children's Literature

Quill & Quire, Friday Oct 01, 2004

Grade 1-4"A shrewd observation of human nature, this tale combines elements of "Chicken Little" and the game of Telephone. After a chicken loses a feather while grooming herself, she notes aloud how her plucking has contributed to her beauty. The tongue-in-cheek narration, which is amusing in its modernity, describes how the comment is seized and passed along, becoming ever more dramatic as it travels. Overheard by Mama Owl, the tale is relayed to the pigeon house, crowed by the rooster, picked up by the bats, and finally returned to the original coop. In its final form, it features five chickens, madly plucking "to prove which one of them wasted away the most because of their love for the rooster." The bold, flat acrylic images, outlined in black, are presented in framed sequences that vary in size and frequency. This design suggests a newsreel or newspaper account. Key phrases are enlarged and printed in white against the vivid backgrounds, furthering the effect. One of Andersen's lesser-known works, the tale last appeared as It's Perfectly True! (Holiday, 1988; o.p.), illustrated by Janet Stevens. Children in the primary grades are just the right age to understand the effects of gossip and to learn to question what they hear and read. Either version provides a memorable vehicle for that message." From School Library Journal by Wendy Lukehart.

It started one night in the chicken coop; a causal remark by a hen gets repeated, then distorted, then expanded and finally a full-blown scandal gets spread across the land. It has nothing to do with the truth, of course. When the tale gets back to the original gossipers, it is so distorted that they don't even recognize it as their own. Big rounded bird shapes in bold primary colours will make this book appeal to toddlers, but the message is for an older audience. (How old is the audience of the National Enquirer?) --Victoria Times Colonist, Sunday October 17 2004

How does one loose feather become five dead chickens? Denmark's most famous storyteller answers that question with a story of henhouse gossip run amuck. A silly remark by a respectable hen is overheard and passed along the chicken coop grapevine. With each retelling, the innocent comment morphs into an increasingly scandalous tale that concludes with a newspaper report of five self-plucked, love-struck hens pecking each other to death in a shameful battle. Sound grim? It really isn't.
Translator Mus White manages to retain all of the wry humour from the original Danish text, making Andersen's playful, tongue-in-cheek approach completely comprehensible. This faithful retelling makes an excellent, dramatic read-aloud, especially for early elementary students who will most appreciate its exaggerated silliness.
Vancouver illustrator Stefan Czernecki gives the Andersen tale (first published in 1852) a bold, contemporary look. Previously translated into picture book form by author/illustrator Janet Stevens as It's Perfectly True, this version takes a less traditional visual route, thanks to Czernecki's comic book style: simple lines, panels, and eye-popping colours that are completely in tune with Andersen's over-the-top plot.
Czernecki's uncluttered illustrations add new dimension and expression to the story, from his scandalized cartoon fowl down to the smallest touches, like the chicken-scratch newspaper font, or the way he tips his hat to Andersen's roots by flying the Danish flag in a rooftop scene.
This lesser-known Andersen tale makes its appearance in advance of the worldwide H.C. Andersen Bicentenary celebration in 2005. Is it good timing? For sure! - Carol L. MacKay, a former children's librarian who majored in Scandinavian studies. Quill and Quire, September 2004