Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer

Illustrations depict Sophie exploring the farm and looking out the window of the empty hayloft.

Sophie writes to her late Abuelita. She acknowledges that Abuelita can’t receive the letter, so it’s more of an exercise in journaling. She has no one to write to, though, because her former best friend hasn’t emailed back.

Sophie likes how spacious the farm is compared to her old apartment, but Great-Uncle Jim kept piles of miscellaneous items everywhere. The family has cleared space for Sophie’s bedroom in the attic. Sophie is disappointed about the lack of crops and animals.

Sophie found a typewriter in the barn’s hayloft, and she’s created a small office up there where she can write her letters. She’s reminded of Abuelita’s old typewriter. Sophie can hear the animals in the neighboring farms, and she’s seen a fast black animal running around, but she isn’t sure what it is.

Sophie misses Los Angeles. She and Mom are the only brown people, and the only other person of color is their Black mailman, Gregory. Sophie likes Gregory because he reminds her of her science teacher last year. She acknowledges that she and Mom don’t fit in as easily as Dad does. Mom keeps busy with her writing because it’s the family’s only income since Dad lost his job. Sophie can tell that Mom is sad that they’re so far from her side of the family. Sophie ends the letter saying that she misses Abuelita and everyone else.

Sophie writes to Redwood Farm Supply again, angry that she hasn’t heard from them. Gregory assured her that he delivered her letter to Redwood Farm, and Sophie trusts Gregory. Sophie suggests that they send a catalog as soon as possible so that she can begin convincing her parents to let her have chickens.

Illustrations show Sophie and Dad inspecting the grapevines, with Sophie wearing gloves and goggles for protection. Another illustration shows Sophie examining a pile of junk and an overturned chicken coop.

Sophie writes to Abuelita. She knows that Abuelita wouldn’t want her moping around, but there’s not much to do in the area. Sophie used to be able to walk around town, but everything is far away now.

Earlier, Dad mentioned wanting farm animals but backtracked when he remembered the financial commitment. Sophie describes the farm layout. Sophie and Dad pruned the grapevines, but they aren’t sure if they did it right. Sophie tried to sort Great-Uncle Jim’s junk but got overwhelmed by all of it. She also found a small house overturned behind a bush. She isn’t sure what it’s for and didn’t stay to investigate because she was startled by rustling bushes.

She apologizes to Abuelita for moping and assures Abuelita that she’s healthy and eating well. She adds that she’s seen a boy on a bicycle around her age and that Mom has asked her to make next week’s to-do lists.

Illustrations depict the to-do lists for each family member. Mom’s list contains all of the articles she has due and their deadlines. Sophie’s list contains chores, reading, and sorting junk. Dad’s list contains job searching and resume building.

An illustration shows an angry white chicken standing on top of a coop.

Sophie writes to Abuelita about a small, angry chicken that has shown up next to the little house. Sophie dragged the house out of the bushes and put it upright, then offered the chicken some lettuce, apple, and water. The chicken is fast and won’t let Sophie near her yet, but she ate what Sophie provided. Sophie speculates that the chicken is lonely because she looked around a lot. Sophie includes drawings of the angry little chicken.

Illustrations show an angry white chicken pecking at an apple, glaring at Sophie, and drinking water.

Sophie writes to Great-Uncle Jim, who Dad said might be in Valhalla (a hall of slain warriors in Norse mythology) since their heritage is Norwegian. Sophie suspects that the chicken could be one of Jim’s animals from when he was still alive. Sophie laments that the only time she visited the farm while Jim was alive was when she was too young to remember. Dad feels bad about that too. Sophie tells Jim that Gregory has said nice things about him and his interesting inventions. Sophie asks what to do with the chicken and wonders what Jim did with all the junk he kept around.

An illustration depicts Sophie shining a flashlight into the chicken coop.

Sophie writes to Abuelita again, wondering if Abuelita is in Mictlan (the underworld in Aztec mythology), where the dead lead normal lives. Sophie includes drawings of the chicken, which she has decided to name Henrietta. Sophie went outside to check on Henrietta after dinner and discovered that the door to the henhouse was closed and locked, despite Sophie leaving it open earlier. She nervously opened the door, scared that something had locked itself in, only to discover Henrietta sitting inside, annoyed that Sophie disturbed her. Sophie wants to tell Dad about the chicken, but she’s worried that she’ll be forced to give up Henrietta.