Silly Chicken

Silly Chicken by Rukhsana Khan initially appears to just a silly book about a little girl who is jealous of a chicken her mother loves. Little Rani, however, lives in a remarkable situation compared to many American school children. She and her mother, Ami, live in Pakistan. This Pakistan is painted in quite a different light than the violent one commonly seen on the news channels. The neighbors are friendly and the tonga rides are fun. However, Rani is just like many of the American students. She becomes jealous when her mother is gives attention to a sibling and seems to “love her hen better than me.” The idea of sibling rivalry powers the story, even if the “sibling” is a chicken.
It is not difficult for students to see themselves in Rani and the humanity within her. Some students may be able to identify with Rani when she goes to visit the grave of her father. Even though the lifestyle depicted in the book may be foreign to many students, because it is not contrasted against Western world standards, Silly Chicken displays its own normalcy. Students are not caught up with how different everything is; they are able to see how it just is. This book does not preach that all people are they same—everyone has different experiences, even in the same neighborhood—but does not dwell on how different everyone is either.
The basic elements of the story work well and it is not a struggle to find meaning in the story. The plot is straightforward, and told in a giggle worthy matter-of-fact tone. Rani’s voice is strong as she opens the story, “Ami loves her hen better than me. She calls her Bibi. I call her Silly.” Rani’s resentment is apparent, but the character is still lovable, “She acts more like an old woman than a chicken.” The humor is especially attractive to young audiences.