The Eyes in the Tree

Book excerpt: Blondos thinks she is the most magnificent chick in the cage she shares with other feathered friends inside a feed store. Forced to constantly preen in front of perfect strangers so as not to be overlooked during the selection process, Blondos is prepared to do more of the same when a kindly man enters the store one day. After a series of mishaps that nearly stand in the way of her opportunity, Blondos can hardly believe her luck when the man finally chooses her. As she is carried out of the store in a box with five other chicks, Blondos wonders if they have all been selected for eggs or fryers. Surely she is too important and beautiful for that destiny. Soon, the chicks begin a new life where they observe their keepers as closely as they are studied themselves. As Blondos and her roommates grow from fuzzy balls into chickens, they are completely unaware that there are eyes in the tree waiting, watching, and listening. In this whimsical animal tale, six feisty chicks must not only learn to trust their new master and mistress but also each other as they all fight to make their way in a scary new world where "Everything loves a good chicken dinner."