Hello! When I was seven years old I discovered a copy of “The Hoboken Chicken Emergency” in my school library. I checked it out immediately and endeavored to keep it forever. After multiple renewals, the crusty librarian finally surrendered: “Take it! No one ever checked it out before you anyway “ (No offense, Mr. Pinkwater…I went to a very old Catholic School and anything less than “Lives of the Saints” or the Pope John Paul comic books were frowned upon during SSR. In fact, nature books, a few Beverly Cleary titles, and “Gorllas in the Mist” were all banned shortly after arrival. How your book made it past the nuns s is beyond me!) It became lusted after by my peers and I had to start leaving it home (per Sr. Marie Timmons’ order). I have kept it for more than three decades, always keeping it on my “treasured books shelf.” Yesterday, I went to take a picture of the cover (another long story related to panic chicken buying) and IT WAS GONE. There couldn’t be a much happier ending to this story, however, because I found it in my ten year old daughter’s room. It is now her favorite book and she has been reading from it to her best friend, Charlie, while they are on isolation break from school. I have read most of your other books, but “The Hoboken Chicken Emergency” is a multi-generational treasure. Thank you!!!
So, you know there are two sequels, Looking for Bobowicz, and The Artsy Smartsy Club, (which has a nice section in which the chicken impersonates a nun). Hoboken Chicken has been illustrated by three different artists, well, two and me, Jill Pinkwater, and Tony Auth. And over the years it has sold approximately a zillion copies. Thanks for telling me your chicken story.
