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Candy Queen
A Cranky Chicken Book 5
Series: Cranky Chicken
Brief Description
Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm are back in another sweetly silly graphic chapter book as the two friends banish a case of the flu, face an extra-spooky Halloween, and enjoy a wintry cabin getaway—sure to be beloved by fans of Narwhal and Jelly and The...
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Format: Hardback
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October 2026
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Candy Queen
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Description
Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm are back in another sweetly silly graphic chapter book as the two friends banish a case of the flu, face an extra-spooky Halloween, and enjoy a wintry cabin getaway—sure to be beloved by fans of Narwhal and Jelly and The Bad Guys!
Cranky Chicken isn’t feeling so hot; she’s got the Chicken Flu, which makes her feverish, fuzzy, and extra cranky. Armed with an out-of-tune ukulele song, some questionable soup, and a very tight worm-knit blanket, can Speedy cheer Chicken up?
Then Speedy faces fears and frights when Halloween gets a little too spooky for comfort. Can Chicken help Speedy find some calm?
Later, a surprise family reunion of the wormy variety sees the friends taking a festive winter vacation.
These three delightful stories about friendship and caring for one another—interspersed with laugh-out-loud vignettes—will make readers fall even more deeply in love with their favourite BFFs (that is, best feathered friends)!
Series: Cranky Chicken
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Pre-orderCandy Queen
Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm are back in another sweetly silly graphic chapter book as the two friends banish a case of the flu, face an extra-spooky Halloween, and enjoy a wintry cabin getaway—sure to be beloved by fans of Narwhal and Jelly and The Bad Guys! Cranky Chicken isn’t feeling so hot; she’s got the Chicken Flu, which...Hardback$2699Unit price /UnavailableOut 27 Oct 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Crankosaurus
Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm return in another “sweetly silly” (Kirkus Reviews) illustrated chapter book as Cranky plans a nap and the two friends find a mysterious egg—sure to be beloved by fans of Narwhal and Jelly and The Bad Guys! Cranky Chicken has no time to play with Speedy the worm because it’s nap time—and it is never...Paperback$3200Unit price /UnavailableOut 27 Oct 2026Pre-order
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781665951326
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 29 September 2026
Country: United States
Imprint: Margaret K McElderry Books
Illustration: f-c digital (spfx: spot gloss); coated stock
Contributors:
- Illustrated by Katherine Battersby
Audience: Children
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 8.0mm
Width: 152.0mm
Height: 203.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 116
About the Author
Katherine Battersby is the critically acclaimed children’s author and illustrator of a number of children’s books, including the Cranky Chicken series, Perfect Pigeons, and Squish Rabbit, a CBC Children’s Choice Book. Her books have received glowing reviews in The New York Times and starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and have been shortlisted for numerous Australian awards. Visit her at KatherineBattersby.com.
Also by Katherine Battersby
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Brave Squish Rabbit
Shortlisted - Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards for Young Children Brave Squish Rabbit is a charming story about Squish, a little rabbit. But being little leads to big fears... of storms, chickens, and the dark... especially the dark! What will Squish do when he can't find his friend one stormy night? Maybe he'll discover that being brave...Board book$1799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Little Wing
On the smallest island, in the tallest tree, lives the world's smartest animal. But there are some things that even the world's smartest animal doesn't know... Meet Little Wing.Hardback$3000Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Pre-order
Crankosaurus
Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm return in another “sweetly silly” (Kirkus Reviews) illustrated chapter book as Cranky plans a nap and the two friends find a mysterious egg—sure to be beloved by fans of Narwhal and Jelly and The Bad Guys! Cranky Chicken has no time to play with Speedy the worm because it’s nap time—and it is never...Paperback$3200Unit price /UnavailableOut 27 Oct 2026Pre-order -
Pre-orderPerfect Pigeons
One plucky pigeon dares to fly against the flock in this brightly illustrated, laugh-out-loud picture book about embracing the things that make us different. A colourful flock of pigeons pride themselves on their perfect unity. All except one: a bespectacled pigeon who is happiest doing its own thing. While the flock all looks the same, this pigeon enjoys wearing cowboy...Hardback$2899Unit price /UnavailableOut 27 Oct 2026Pre-order -
Cranky Chicken
Everything about Chicken is cranky. Cranky eyes, cranky eyebrows, super-sharp cranky beak, even cranky scratchy feet. And everything makes Chicken cranky. The sun is too bright, the dirt is too dirty. What Cranky Chicken is not is lonely. Nope, nope, definitely not. But then along comes a very cheerful worm named Speedy, who just wants to be friends. The first...PaperbackSold Out -
Cranky Chicken: Party Animals
Cranky Chicken is super hungry and the crank-O-meter is on high. What can Speedy the worm do to help? How about ... a yummy snack? A day at the beach? An unsurprising party? It's party time for Cranky and Speedy, two Best Feathered Friends! The second book in a charming illustrated series about mismatched friends who bring joy, companionship and...PaperbackSold Out -
Brave Squish Rabbit
Brave Squish Rabbit is the follow-up to the hugely popular and endearing picture book Squish Rabbit. Squish is just a little rabbit, but being little leads to big fears... of storms and chickens and the dark... especially the dark! What will Squish do when he can't find his friend one stormy night? Maybe he'll discover that being brave makes the...HardbackSold Out -
Squish Rabbit
Squish Rabbit by Katherine Battersby introduces Squish, a little rabbit for whom being small can lead to big problems. Sometimes Squish is hard to hear and see. Making friends isn't easy either. Despite his tiny size, one thing is certain about Squish: he has a very large heart. Discover how Squish navigates his world and how his big heart overcomes...Board bookSold Out
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