The Little Black Hen

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

The classic fairy tale of the little black hen receives a new spin in
this retelling. Alyosha, an 18th-century Russian schoolboy attending
boarding school in St. Petersburg, saves a black hen from the school
cooking pot. In return, the hen, who turns out to be the ambassador of a
race of little people living in a kingdom under the city, introduces
Alyosha to his king, who rewards the boy by granting him a wish. The
consequences of the wish form the backbone of the story.

A strong moral component gives this rendering its edge. When Alyosha
wishes to know all the answers at school and to never have to study, the
king is dismayed by his laziness. As Alyosha does better in school, he
becomes vain and insolent, and his teachers and friends begin to resent
him. Eventually, Alyosha breaks his promise to keep silent about the
little people, and they are forced to leave Russia. Alyosha collapses
from guilt and remorse and is ill for six weeks. When he recovers, he is
determined to be kind and considerate as he used to be, and to study and
work hard at school.

A sepia wash, similar to a tea-stain effect, veils the illustrations
and the pages of text, lending an antique look and anchoring the book
firmly in the 18th century. Elegant details stand out from the wash. The
delicate lace that edges Alyosha’s cravat looks real enough to touch.
Recommended.