Deedy, Carmen Agra. The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet. Ill. Yelchin, Eugene. Scholastic Press, 2017. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-72288-9. Unpaged. Ages 4-8. P8Q9.
Deedy, Carmen Agra. iEl gallo que no se callaba! = The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! Ill. Yelchin, Eugene. Bilingual edition. Scholastic Press, 2017. $17.99. ISBN 978-1-338-11414-0. Unpaged. Ages 4-8. P8Q9.
In the village of La Paz things are a tad too noisy. The new mayor Don Pepe 
promises peace and quiet and his rules are reasonable at the start yet things begin to change. Consequently, the new rules are over the top with no singing allowed anywhere. Years later when a rebellious singing rooster and his family come into the village to roost in a mango tree near Don Pepe’s window, the mayor chops down the rooster’s tree, removes him from his family, and deprives him of food and light. Still, that noisy rooster keeps on singing. And when one is going to sing, it can often inspire more to do so, with more gusto.
Verdict: An excellent read aloud with some serious concepts to consider. The serious nature is lightened by the humor of the funny pictures. “But a song is louder than one noisy little rooster and stronger than one bully of a mayor . . . And it will never die – so long as there is someone to sing it.” The fight for free expression is worth it. Nice job!
May 2017 review by Penny McDermott.
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