The Paper Wagon

Carol L. MacKay is a children’s librarian living in Bawlf, Alberta.

Readers will quickly discover that Martha Attema’s latest book for
young readers is flavoured with pure silliness. Based on a Friesian folk
tale, the meandering storyline begins with Hen and Rooster preparing a
big pot of soup. Rooster tries to help, but falls into the pot. Fox,
likely attracted by the scent of singed Rooster, comes along, picks
Rooster up and carries him home for dinner. Hen wants to rescue Rooster
and decides that she’ll need a wagon to haul him back. She makes one
out of paper and sets off to save her friend. Hen isn’t exactly
time-conscious. She continually implores others to hurry, but stops to
pick up travellers along the way and engages in idle chit-chat. With her
bad sense of direction, readers will be wondering if Hen will ever find
Rooster (she does) and in what state he will be found—cooking in a
potpie or simmering in a stew. (Neither. Apparently Fox is a slow mover,
too.)

There’s something endearing about the characters in this absurd tale.
Hen’s decisions usually come out of left field, and readers won’t
always be able to predict what happens next.

The full-page black-and-white illustrations by Ontario artist Graham
Ross mirror the quirky nature of the story nicely, but the
multiple-scene pages are cluttered and difficult to sort out.

Not a run-of-the-mill early chapter book, The Paper Wagon will appeal
to children who enjoy situational humour and silly stories. Recommended.