Chicken Stu by Nathan Luff
Scholastic, 2010. ISBN 9781741695566.
(Age Middle school) When weedy asthmatic Stuart is sent to stay with
his aunt and uncle for
the Christmas holidays, things look bad from the start. Stuart is not
close to his cousins, the loud and boisterous James and Matt who are no
help in guiding him around the mysteries of farm life, while Auntie
Gwen makes it her personal business to rid Stuart of his allergies and
fears. City life has made him soft, so living on a farm for six weeks
will do wonders, she thinks. Much fun ensues in this easy to read
story, as Stuart learns about the perils of the crutching shed, the
vagaries of milking a cow, catching the poddy calf as well as having to
contend with the young girl next door, who appears to have a liaison
with Matt, despite Auntie Gwen's best intentions.
Rural life has a whole lot of things that frighten Stuart horribly, and
for a while he wishes to be with his mother, but things take a turn for
the better in this laugh out loud story.
Fran Knight