The Trouble With Chickens

“I spent seven years as a search-and-rescue dog. The quiet life in the country where Barb, my trainer, lived was some reward for all those years of service. Some reward.”

J.J.’s introduction provides his backstory and current predicament of living a dull life in the countryside, introducing the theme of Purpose and Belonging. This passage highlights his intelligence and provides context for why he is so bitter about living at Barb’s country house with the chickens.

“Sugar peeped. I growled again. Sugar took a step closer, bracing herself against the water bowl. ‘Poppy and Sweetie are missing,’ she whispered. She may have looked fluffy and new, but this chick had already learned that life outside the shell was not all it was cracked up to be.”

Sugar the chick shows her smarts in this important passage as she explains her family’s predicament to an annoyed J.J. Sugar plays an important role in the story, and J.J. foreshadows her role in Poppy and Sweetie’s abduction by recognizing her intelligence and worldliness.

“I had to give it to Moosh straight. ‘Humans have a knack for finding themselves in places where they don’t belong—dark woods, cold snow, and deep canyons. Lucky for them, they stink. But I don’t know from chickens-so don’t get your hopes up.’ Moosh took a deep breath. She knew the score.”

In his typically blunt style, J.J. tells Moosh that there is a good chance he will not find her chicks. This passage highlights J.J.’s knowledge as a search-and-rescue dog and builds narrative tension around his mission of finding missing chicks Poppy and Sweetie.

“I gave up my hold on the note. Two things were clear: Whoever had left that note had fast feet and a head full of big words.”

J.J. tries to gather clues to find Poppy and Sweetie. This passage contributes to the author’s theme of Approaches to Problem-Solving as J.J. tries to make inferences and guess who could be behind the ransom note. By thinking through the possibilities, J.J.’s inner monologue establishes interest, as it is not yet clear what kind of animal took the chicks.

“I didn’t want to hold her precious note, anyway. I wanted to sniff it. Sure enough, it reeked of one thing - the same chicken scent I had been following before the storm. The trail was right under my nose.”

In this passage, J.J. investigates the ransom note using his most powerful tool, his sense of smell. By ending her chapter with this cliffhanger, the author builds suspense. One must keep reading and follow J.J. as he traces the distinct scent trail to the kidnapper.

“I don’t have a problem with big words. But there’s a time and a place for them. A muddy note in a chicken coop didn’t seem like the right place.”

J.J.’s initial guess that the ransom note was written by an inside pet directs his suspicions toward Barb’s indoor dog, Vince. This passage adds to the book’s exploration of problem-solving approaches, as J.J. logically thinks through the clues of the case.

“Sugar spoke before I could. ‘It means we need to be in the chicken coop by six thirty.’ Sugar’s head wasn’t filled with feathers, that’s for sure. I was going to have to keep my eye on her. Right after my nap. ‘Wake me up at six twenty-five.’”

J.J. recognizes Sugar’s keen intelligence, again foreshadowing Sugar’s important role in the kidnapping plot. By sharing some of his suspicions about Sugar’s involvement, J.J. also invites questions about why Sugar is so knowledgeable and invested in the search for Poppy and Sweetie and what the clever little chick will do next.

“Before she could finish her sentence, a dark shadow appeared in the window. The shades were drawn, but you could clearly make out the silhouette. There was no mistaking that silhouette. Vince the Funnel.”

This mysterious passage heightens the tension in the story as J.J. notices his rival, Vince, watching him and the chickens from the house window. The image of a “dark shadow” spying on J.J. adds an element of fear to the book and works as a spooky introduction to the book’s villain, Vince.

“What little I did know about Vince, I knew from a distance and from the grapevine. I knew that a dog walker came by every day to take him outside. And I’d heard he was a little off his rocker.”

In this passage, J.J. reveals his first impressions of Vince, the unfriendly indoor dog who is J.J.’s top suspect. By characterizing Vince as “off his rocker,” J.J.’s narration establishes a broad sketch of how Vince behaves and questions if he is responsible for taking Moosh’s chicks. This quotation creates suspense in the story as it begins to depict Vince as a scheming villain.

“Oh, how Barb loves losers, I thought, watching J.J. the Hero Dog march around the yard with Chicken Mom on his tail and his face to the ground. Only an arrogant search-and-rescue dog could undergo years of training but not recognize a simple trap when it’s right under his nose. Makes me laugh out loud.”

This passage is from Vince’s point of view and shows that J.J. is right to suspect him of the chicken kidnapping. By including Vince’s cruel thoughts about J.J., the author shows that jealousy motivates Vince. This confirms his role as the antagonist in the story.

“Sugar was coming at me as fast as those little chickadee legs would take her. She hadn’t just inherited her mother’s eyes, she’d inherited her mother’s crazy. ‘You’re going in, right?’ asked Sugar.”

This passage characterizes Sugar as a demanding and “crazy” chick who is very invested in J.J.’s search for her sibling. This quotation adds to the author’s exploration of the role of friendship as J.J. tries to stay on good terms with his eccentric chicken neighbors and fulfill his part of the deal.

“There was nothing in that birdbath but dirty water and a wet note. Sugar was gone. I didn’t need the note to tell me where she was. She was in the house. Call it a hunch.”

J.J. shows off his problem-solving skills as the mystery deepens and Sugar, too, disappears into the house. J.J.’s combination of intuition and logic helps him quickly work out what is going on at the farm.

“I was going to go straight up the front steps and cause a distraction. When Dirt heard Vince barking, she was going to run through the doggie door and make a mad dash for the couch.”

In this quotation, J.J. helps Dirt, the last of Moosh’s chicks to not be captured, learn how to become a spy. This passage adds to the author’s theme of Friendship and Betrayal as J.J. patiently coaches little Dirt on how to safely get inside the house and find her siblings. The burgeoning friendship between J.J. and Dirt shows their growing ability to work together to save the day.

“‘I don’t want you or your chicks,’ I said. ‘I want your big, dumb friend, outside.’ ‘J.J.?’ asked Chicken Mom. ‘What for?’”

Vince’s mean behavior raises the stakes in the story, as the author reveals that he wants to get rid of J.J. and the chickens. This passage adds sympathy for Moosh, who is concerned for her chicks, and reasserts the villainous nature of Vince.

“This wasn’t a search anymore, it was a rescue. Rescue is where I belong. Sometimes there’s a plan, sometimes there’s only adrenaline. Sometimes adrenaline is all you need…I was off so fast I couldn’t have changed my mind if I’d wanted to.”

J.J. explains how he rushed into action to rescue Moosh, Poppy, Sweetie, and Sugar, who were all in the house with Vince. This passage adds complexity to Approaches to Problem-Solving, as J.J. admits that he did not think through his plan at all but simply relied on adrenaline to break into the house and look for the chickens. This quotation shows why J.J. made an unwise decision and found himself trapped in the house.

“Five chickens in here is five too many. I was looking forward to the peace and quiet that nightfall would bring. I’m going to get rid of them all, and I don’t even have to leave the house. Unlike our Hero Dog, I didn’t need years of training—I was born brilliant.”

Vince’s inner thoughts reveal his malicious plan toward the chickens and J.J. His frightening inner monologue, evidenced by his desire “to get rid of them all,” adds to the book’s theme of Friendship and Betrayal, as Vince pretends to care for the chickens while secretly plotting their deaths.

“I knew there wasn’t a single chicken in that room I could trust. ‘It was a trick. He used us to lure you…’ she stammered. ‘I’m done with you, Millicent,’ I interrupted. She winced when I called her by her real name.”

The author further develops the role betrayal plays in the book, as J.J., now locked in a dog crate in the house, realizes that Moosh and the chicks have collaborated with Vince to lure him into the house. J.J. was honest and friendly to the chickens and expected the same in return.

“Finally, Moosh understood that Sugar had been coming and going from this house for a long time. ‘You faked a kidnapping? With Vince the Funnel?’ Moosh raised her voice so high, I thought she might cough up a vocal cord.”

In this passage, Sugar admits to J.J. and her mother that she co-planned the chicks’ kidnapping with Vince. The author reveals that Moosh is innocent and shows her daughter’s scheming. This quotation complicates the plot, as Sugar’s motivations for hurting her mother and J.J., who are still in danger from Vince, are not yet clear.

“‘Moosh, that funnel is the only thing between Vince and your chicks,’ I said. ‘Once that thing is off, you’re doomed. All of you.’ Moosh ignored me. ‘I won’t be tricked again,’ she said. ‘We’re leaving.’”

In this suspenseful scene, J.J. tries to reason with Moosh, who still does not recognize the danger Vince poses to her chicks. This passage develops the role of friendship in the text as J.J. tries to reestablish trust between himself and the chickens, who now have a mutual enemy in Vince.

“Wait for it, I told myself. My heart was pounding. Vince caught a glimpse of Sugar running toward the crate with the tag. Wait for it, I told myself. I held my breath.”

In this suspenseful scene, J.J. and the chicks work together to unlock the dog crate and open the house’s doggy door. This underscores the theme of The Value of Teamwork, as J.J. and the chickens put aside their distrust and approach their problem as a team.

“Vince was inside the cage. I was outside the cage. Just the way I liked it. ‘Great plan,’ I said to Dirt. ‘Great teacher,’ she replied.”

This passage adds to the story’s exploration of teamwork, as Dirt, Sugar, Moosh, and J.J. successfully collaborate to outwit Vince. This quotation shows that J.J.’s willingness to forgive the chickens and work with them allowed them to create a trusting and effective team.

“‘I was just a worried mom looking for my kids. I did what I had to do.’ She was looking me in the eye. Her left foot was perfectly still. ‘All right, Moosh. You and me are square.’ I thought she smiled, but again, it’s tough to tell with a beak.”

J.J. and Moosh come to an understanding about their search for the chicks, and J.J. sympathizes with her predicament. This passage shows that J.J. is an understanding hero who has developed an affection for the chickens despite their silly behavior.

“Moosh looked right at me. Sugar motioned for me with her tiny wing. The spot between Moosh and Sugar was just my size. It did look kind of comfy up there. I jumped on the couch. Moosh. Me. Sugar. Poppy. Sweetie. Dirt. Sometimes, you find yourself exactly where you belong.”

This happy ending adds to the theme of Purpose and Belonging as J.J. comes to accept his new life on the farm and embraces his new friendship with the chicken family. This passage provides an uplifting ending to both the mystery and emotional arc of the story.