Bruce Gargoyle's Reviews > Chickenhare

Ten Second Synopsis:
When Chickenhare and his friend Abe are sold by their owner to the local crazy taxidermist, they are forced to join forces with two other captives, a monkey and a pixie-girl, in order to escape. Along with the corpse of a goat and a cave-full of mini-troll monsters, they must battle the crazy taxidermist and win back their freedom.

I've had this one on my TBR shelf for about four months or so after I impulse bought it because it sounded wacky. Wacky it certainly is, and I didn't quite expect how dark it would get in some places. I'd have to say that while middle graders could certainly read and enjoy this, it's probably more suited to slightly older readers who aren't easily shocked (or grossed out).

So Chickenhare and Abe are sold to a taxidermist and in order to affect an escape, they must team up with a mad monkey (or is he?) and a strange girl creature with horns. All is not so simple as it seems however, because Klaus, the taxidermist, has vowed never to let any of his "pets" escape since he lost his most beloved animal, a goat called Mr Buttons. Whacking and falling out of windows ensues (on the part of the enemy) and while our heroic quartet manage to escape, it is out of the frying pan and into the fire as the team tries to navigate pitch dark tunnels that are plagued with Shromph, little trollish creatures with big pointy teeth.

And this is where the goat corpse comes in. I don't want to spoil it for you, but just be warned that the half decomposed corpse of Mr Buttons plays a major role in the denouement of this adventure. I will readily admit that it is easily the best characterisation of a deceased goat that I have yet seen in children's literature.

The story ends on a mild cliffhanger and while there were certainly parts of this that had me going "Eeergh", "Blaaagh" and "Oooh, that's not cricket!" respectively, I do actually want to know what happens to our four friends because there is a bit of a suggestion that at least two of them may not be exactly what they seem.

Again, even though the art style is quite colourful and cartoonish, the content and tone of the book is probably best suited to the YA aged reader and above.