Photo by ReadersMagnet
Few stories touch the heart of young readers as simply and as powerfully as Bertha the Ordinary Chicken, written by Danna Southwell and illustrated by Melanie Burke, which follows a little chick as she learns that being different is her greatest strength.
For young readers and listeners, Bertha the Ordinary Chicken is more than a feel-good story. Wrapped in the warm setting of a barnyard, this fun story is founded on a gentle lesson of self-acceptance and kindness.
Photo by wirestock
What Bertha the Ordinary Chicken Is All About
The story begins in a cozy coop with Mother Hen waiting for her four eggs to hatch. When they do, she gives each chick a special name: the firstborn, a leader, is named George; a prissy, fluffy chick is named Charlotte; a busy, jumpy one becomes Jojo; then, there is the last chick.
She is quiet and doesn’t stand out, which reminds Mother Hen so much of her favorite Aunt Bertha.
And so, Bertha the Ordinary Chicken gets her name. It sounds like a very nice name, but—oh no!—the other chicks laugh at it.
As they grow, the others don’t include Bertha. They even peck at her and chase her away from food. So, Bertha eats alone, but she doesn’t get angry at them because she has a kind heart.
When she watches as the others show off their new feathers, Bertha feels different and comes to notice that her own feathers are changing too, into beautiful black-and-white speckles.
No other chicken looks like her.
And so, she starts to think that she may be different, but she’s not ordinary!
Why Young Readers Will Connect with Bertha
Bertha the Ordinary Chicken speaks directly to a child’s world, where many are made to feel overlooked or different because they are not the fastest, the loudest, or the most noticeable.
Bertha feels this way, too.
She tries to fit in by singing, dancing, and crowing like the others, but nothing works. Through her attempts at trying to fit in and failing, young readers see themselves in her. This makes Bertha real to them.
The story uses simple words and short sentences, perfect for new readers or for reading aloud. There are no hard words or complicated ideas for readers to make heads or tails of.
The chapters are short, with pictures on every page, illustrated by Melanie Burke, which are soft and friendly, helping to really tell the story. Children can follow along just by looking at the pictures.
Making Use of Your Differences
The heart of the story is when Bertha discovers her true talent.
One night, a raccoon sneaks into the unlatched coop while all the chickens are in a deep sleep, but Bertha wakes up and sees the danger.
She tries to wake the others, but they won’t budge.
Then, she does the one thing she was always teased for: her loud, high-pitched cackle.
“Out of desperation, she let out the loudest cackle she could make, and all the chickens startled awake.”
Her unique voice, one of the many things that made her different, saves everyone, and, for the first time, Bertha is held and loved as a hero.
The next morning, all the other chickens thanked her by letting her eat first.
Bertha’s difference was now her gift.
The Perfect Lesson for Young Minds
Bertha the Ordinary Chicken is wonderful because it teaches without preaching, showing that everyone has something special inside through subtle storytelling.
You don’t have to be the leader like George, to have beauty like Charlotte, or to be lively like Jojo. Your talent might be quiet, like Bertha’s watchfulness, or loud, like her cackle.
The important thing is to be yourself.
At the end of the book, Bertha grows up, and she has her own chicks now, who then begin to argue over whose name is better. Bertha, though, now a mother hen, simply tucks them under her wings and whispers:
“My dear chicks, remember, all of you are special to me, and everyone’s name is important.”
Photo by freepik
Why This Book Belongs on Every Child’s Shelf
For parents and teachers, Bertha the Ordinary Chicken is a valuable addition to your children’s library.
Bertha encourages conversations about kindness, bullying, and self-esteem—which are never not important. Every moment depicted in the book is an opportunity for adults to talk about these topics to children in a way that gets their attention and helps adults begin the conversation.
The story’s pace is perfect for short attention spans because on each page, something is always happening. There is excitement, worry, and a happy ending. The language is clear and repetitive in a good way, with words like “cackle” and “strutted” intentionally chosen because they are fun to say and hear.
About the Southwell and Burke
Danna Southwell, the author, is an expert in nurturing growth, having been a piano teacher for 44 years and having watched hundreds of students discover their own talents.
She also raises chickens! and it’s clear that her love for them shines in the story as she deftly writes with a grandmother’s warmth.
Melanie Burke’s pictures bring Danna’s words to life. As a music and art teacher, she knows how to create expressive and emotive art with color and line. Her illustrations make the coop feel safe, and the characters feel like friends to everyone.
Bring Bertha the Ordinary Chicken Home
Bertha the Ordinary Chicken is more than just a children’s book because it has the potential to be a friend for children who need to hear that they are wonderful just as they are and that they don’t need to change themselves to be happy.
The story is a celebration of the quiet, the different, and the kind.
In a world that often shouts for attention, Bertha’s story is a gentle, powerful whisper: you belong.
Follow Bertha’s journey from being the overlooked chick to the hero of the coop. Share this story at bedtime, in the classroom, or as a gift.
Let Bertha the Ordinary Chicken remind every young reader that there is no such thing as ordinary.
