BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSTwelve-year-old Sophie Brown has just moved from Los Angeles to her late great-uncle Jim's run-down farm in rural California, and she does not love it: there are no friends, no buses, no sidewalks, just rows of overgrown grapevines and her parents struggling to make ends meet. When a small, angry white chicken appears out of the blackberry bushes behind the barn, Sophie starts writing letters to figure out what to do, including letters to the mysterious Redwood Farm Supply company, to her late grandmother, and even to Great-Uncle Jim himself. The chicken turns out to be anything but ordinary, and Sophie quickly learns that Jim's farm came with some very unusual secrets.
Free Battle of the Books questions for Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a girl write letters to her dead grandmother instead of keeping a diary?
✓ Answer
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
Sophie writes letters to her dead Abuelita as a way to process her feelings about moving to a farm in a small town. She explains that a diary doesn't care what she thinks, but her grandmother still loves her even though she's dead. The letters to Abuelita form much of the book's structure.
- First half
In what book does a girl unscrew door hinges because she can't break a padlock?
✓ Answer
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
After locking Henrietta in the coop with a padlock to keep her safe, Sophie can't find the key. She tries hitting the lock with a hammer and screwdriver but keeps smashing her thumb. Then she walks around the henhouse and realizes it's much easier to just unscrew the door hinges instead.
- First half
In what book does a girl dream about painting her room a color called Sunflower Sky?
✓ Answer
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
At the feedstore, Sophie admires the paint chip colors and finds one called Sunflower Sky that looks like baby-chick fluff. She wishes she could paint her attic room that color but knows her family can't afford it. A worker named Jane offers her free paint chips, but Sophie says her mom taught her not to take things they won't use.
- Second half
In what book does a family each get two bites of one scrambled egg?
✓ Answer
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
After refrigerating Chameleon's egg for the required three days, Sophie scrambles it and divides it so she, her mom, and her dad each get two bites. Her mom declares it the best egg she's ever tasted, and her dad admits maybe chickens are pretty useful after all.
- Second half
In what book does a girl push a horrible stone statue into a neighbor's pond?
✓ Answer
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
After seeing the stone raccoon at Chris's farm, Sophie decides to push it into the pond so people won't come after the special chicken with pitchforks like in Frankenstein. It's really heavy, but she wears her gloves and manages it. She knows she shouldn't mess with someone else's property, but she thinks it's the right thing to do.
- Near the end
In what book do two kids on bikes dive into a ditch to hide from an orange pickup?
✓ Answer
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
While biking to Ms. Griegson's farm, Chris suddenly pulls off the road and down into a ditch. Sophie follows, falling off her bike in the dirt. Ms. Griegson's orange pickup drives past. After it's gone, Chris panics and heads home, leaving Sophie to continue alone.
