
The Wolf's Chicken Stew, written by Keiko Kasza, is a children's picture book that was first published in Japan in 1987 and later in the United States in 1989. The story is about a wolf who loves to eat more than anything else in the world and one day craves chicken stew. He finds a chicken that seems perfect for his stew but decides to fatten her up first. However, when he goes to collect his meal, he is in for a big surprise. The book is known for its humour, cute illustrations, and repetitive text, making it a fun read for young children and a popular choice for classroom read-alouds and bedtime stories.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Genre | Children's Picture Book, Animal Stories |
| Readability | Preschool-2nd Grade |
| Target Audience | Children |
| Theme | The best-laid plans may not be what you expect |
| Style | Simple sentences with very little description |
| Author's Purpose | To entertain |
| Main Idea | Wolf wants chicken stew |
| Details | Wolf wants to fatten up the chicken so there would be more stew |
| Climax | Wolf is stunned to find he has been feeding the chicken's family and becomes Uncle Wolf |
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What You'll Learn

Children's literature
The Wolf's Chicken Stew, written and illustrated by Keiko Kasza, is a children's picture book. It is a humorous story about a wolf who loves to eat and has a craving for chicken stew. The book is suitable for children from preschool to second grade and can be used in classrooms to teach children about the concept of 100 and empathy. The story is also entertaining and has a surprising ending, making it a fun read-aloud book.
The story begins with the wolf, who loves to eat more than anything else in the world. One day, he has a craving for chicken stew and spots a chicken that seems just right for his meal. However, he then thinks that he can make more stew if he fattens the chicken up before dining on her. So, he goes home and cooks all kinds of delicious food for the chicken to eat.
The wolf brings the food to the chicken and leaves it on her porch. The chicken and her chicks enjoy the treats, and the wolf plans to return and collect his fattened-up chicken for his stew. However, when he returns, he is in for a big surprise. Instead of the fat chicken he expected, he discovers that the treats he brought have been shared with the chicken's 100 chicks, who now see him as "Uncle Wolf".
The story is told in simple sentences with minimal description. It features dialogue from both the wolf and the chicken, with the wolf's speech switching between formal and dialectic expressions. The illustrations by Kasza are praised for their deft use of watercolours, effectively conveying the scheming wolf and the unflappable hen.
The Wolf's Chicken Stew has been well-received by readers, with some calling it a "classic kids' book". It has also won several awards, including the Kentucky Bluegrass Award, and has been translated into multiple languages.
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Animal stories
The Wolf's Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza is a perfect example of an animal story. It features a wolf who loves to eat and one day craves chicken stew. He finds a chicken that seems perfect for his stew but decides to fatten her up first. The wolf cooks all kinds of delicious food for the chicken, only to find out that she has 100 chicks who have been eating all the treats. The story is entertaining and teaches children about empathy. It also has a lesson about the importance of family and friendship, as the wolf becomes ""Uncle Wolf"" to the chicks and decides to bake cookies for them instead of eating their mother.
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Picture books
The Wolf's Chicken Stew, written by Keiko Kasza, is a picture book aimed at children. It is suitable for children from preschool to second grade and is a popular choice for bedtime reading. The book is about a wolf who loves to eat more than anything else in the world. One day, he craves chicken stew and spots a chicken that seems perfect for his meal. However, he decides to fatten her up first so that he will have more stew to eat. The wolf cooks all kinds of delicious food for the chicken, but when he goes to collect her, he is in for a surprise. He discovers that the chicken has 100 chicks who have been enjoying the treats he has been leaving, and they see him as "Uncle Wolf".
The story is entertaining and humorous, with repetitive and predictable language that makes it enjoyable for children to listen to and read aloud. The simple sentences and dialogue between the wolf and the chicken make it accessible for early readers. Kasza's illustrations, created using watercolours on wide-open white pages, bring the scheming wolf and the unflappable hen to life. The Wolf's Chicken Stew has been described as a "classic kids' book" and has won awards such as the Kentucky Bluegrass Award. It is a fun and engaging story that teaches children about empathy and the concept of counting to 100.
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Humour
The Wolf's Chicken Stew is a humorous children's story about a wolf who loves to eat more than anything else in the world. The story begins with the wolf craving chicken stew and spotting a chicken that seems perfect for his meal. However, the wolf then has an idea: if he fattens up the chicken before eating her, he'll have more stew to enjoy. So, he cooks all kinds of delicious treats for the chicken, including pancakes, doughnuts, and a 100-pound cake.
The story is filled with funny and entertaining moments, such as the wolf's scheming and his unexpected comeuppance. The wolf's dialogue is also a source of humour, as he switches between formal and refined language ("Eat well, my pretty chicken. Get nice and fat for my stew!") and a more colloquial dialect ("Aw, shucks... I'll bake the little critters a hundred scrumptious cookies!") The repetitive and predictable nature of the wolf's language also adds to the humour, making it a fun read-aloud for children.
The illustrations by Keiko Kasza are praised for their watercolour depictions of the scheming wolf and the unflappable hen, adding to the humour of the story. The simple sentences and short descriptions make it a highly readable book for children, with some comparing it to a classic kids' book. The story also has a surprising ending, as the wolf discovers that he has been feeding the chicken's 100 chicks instead of fattening her up for his stew. This twist adds to the humour and keeps young readers engaged.
Overall, The Wolf's Chicken Stew is a humorous and lighthearted tale that is well-loved by children and parents alike. It is a great choice for bedtime reading or classroom storytime, with its fun voices, repetitive sequences, and entertaining plot. The humour in the story stems from the wolf's endearing and lovable personality, his scheming plans, and the unexpected turn of events that ultimately lead to his soft heart winning over his hunger.
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Food
The wolf goes home and cooks a variety of treats, including pancakes, doughnuts, and a 100-pound cake. He leaves these treats for the chicken, intending for her to eat them and get fat. However, the treats are shared with her 100 chicks, and the wolf is surprised to find he has been feeding a whole family.
The treats are described as "scrumptious" and fine, and the wolf is said to be an enthusiastic cook, making "all kinds of scrumptious food". The story uses food to build anticipation, as the wolf cooks and leaves treats for the chicken, and also to create a sense of warmth and kindness, as the treats are shared with the chicken's chicks.
The wolf's soft heart is revealed through his love of cooking and his desire to make treats for the chicks, and food becomes a way for him to connect with the family. The story ends with the wolf planning to bake 100 cookies for the chicks, a heartwarming conclusion to a tale driven by the power of food and its ability to bring people together.
The use of food in the story is also practical, as it provides an opportunity for children to learn about predicting and sequencing events. The repetitive nature of the wolf's cooking and leaving treats creates a fun and engaging read-aloud experience, allowing children to make predictions and follow the sequence of events.
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Frequently asked questions
The book is about a wolf who loves to eat and one day decides he wants to make some chicken stew. He spots a chicken that looks perfect for his stew but decides to fatten her up first. So he cooks all kinds of delicious food for the chicken to eat. However, when he finally visits Mrs. Chicken, he is in for a big surprise.
"The Wolf's Chicken Stew" is a children's picture book that is suitable for preschoolers to second graders. It is a fun and entertaining story with simple sentences and repetitive, predictable language, making it a great read-aloud book.
The book is written and illustrated by Keiko Kasza. It was her first work to be published in the United States in 1987, and it won the Kentucky Bluegrass Award.
The book is known for its humour and fun twist, as well as the wolf's scheming and comeuppance. It also has beautiful illustrations and is a great way to teach children about empathy. The story's predictable sequence of events and fun voices make it engaging for young readers.











































