Recent Reads: Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur!) by Linda Bailey

Source:  From Librarything Early Reviewers Program and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur!) by Linda Bailey

Illustrated byK-Fai Steele
Publisher: Tundra Books 
Publication Date:  October 28, 2025

   

Format: Hardback

Rating:


Synopsis: 

Chicken Run meets Tiny T. Rex in this funny farmyard tale of a feisty chicken who is sure she is a dinosaur!

Includes a die-cut cover — and back matter about how chickens (and all other birds) are the living descendants of dinosaurs!

Lena lives in a chicken coop, and she looks a lot like a chicken. But deep down, she's convinced that she's a... DINOSAUR! She can feel it in her bones. Lena just doesn't understand the scaredy chickens in her family, and they don't understand her either, with her ferociousness and big ideas. The people on the farm are also baffled... except for little Madeline, who thinks Lena has PERSONALITY.

And then, when a dastardly weasel turns up and threatens the coop, Lena's fearful family chickens out AGAIN. It's up to Lena to unleash her inner dinosaur like never before - to save the coop and show this silly bunch of chickens how to stand up for themselves. And when Madeline's science fair project shows that chickens are the closest living relatives in the world to dinosaurs, Lena's family finally starts to see that - holy hen house! - they are all dinosaurs too!

Review: 

Lena the Chicken is a children's book about ... a chicken named Lena. She insists that she is actually a dinosaur.  She is aggressive and protects herself and the other chickens. All the other chickens thinks she is being silly, but she is a believer in her ability. Madeline is a little girl that lives near the chickens and she thinks that Lena is great, she is fun to watch and she agrees that Lena is probably a dinosaur. 

Lena tries to convince her friends that being a dinosaur is great, and being 'chicken' isn't as fun. They all find out the importance of being more like a dinosaur when a weasel tries to come and eat them all and Lena saves the day. 

The story overall was so fun. As a chicken owner myself, I found it very relatable and there is always at least one chicken like Lena. The characters were fun and funny and it was a cute tale. 

The illustrations were perfect for the story with lots of colors and movement. The story is told in both text and speech bubbles making it all the more entertaining. 

Overall, this was a fun youth read and I think young readers will really enjoy it.