“What hand is best to light the menorah with? Neither. It’s best to light it with a candle.” Chicken and Mermaid are good friends and they love to share a riddle or two. They share a lot of other things, too. In Laurel Lorenzini’s Chicken to the Sea, the friends share their holiday traditions. Chicken celebrates Hannukah and Mermaid celebrates Christmas. When they decide to get together on each of these occasions (the first day of Hannukah and Christmas), they are met with a few challenges. Mermaid can’t leave the water because she is a mermaid, and away from the water, she’d dry up. Chicken can’t breathe underwater, so visiting Mermaid’s home beneath the sea is a challenge. But the two are clever and contrive unique ways to share their holiday traditions.

Laurel Lorenzini’s picture book, Chicken to the Sea: A Holiday Adventure Story, is an endearing tale about friendship and holiday traditions. Told in simple language so that young readers can easily follow along and improve their reading skills, the plot follows the two friends as they devise plans to make it possible to share their holiday festivities. First, we follow Chicken and the first day of Hannukah, then we join Mermaid as she introduces Chicken to Christmas beneath the sea. The illustrations are delightful and certainly add another dimension to the story. This is a clever way to teach young readers the values of traditions and the true meaning of each celebration: sharing with friends and family.

In Chicken to the Sea by Laurel Lorenzini, Chicken and Mermaid want to spend the holidays together, so they devise ways to make their wishes come true. When the cart Chicken uses to convey Mermaid after she climbs out of the ocean is damaged, his friends help him get her to the farm safely. Mermaid spends a delightful first day of Hanukkah with Chicken. On Christmas, Chicken meets Mermaid at the shore and exchanges jokes before entering a submarine. Chicken has to wear a helmet to breathe, so he can't hear Mermaid or the other creatures in the ocean. He enjoys making cookies, opening a present, and watching a bioluminescent light show, but he worries about sharing a meal with his friend while wearing a helmet.

Laurel Lorenzini has written another wonderful book that will engage young readers. Chicken and Mermaid come from very different worlds, but that doesn't stop these two friends from continuing to develop their connection and share their cultures. Children will learn interesting facts about Christmas and Hanukkah while they watch Chicken and Mermaid practice traditions that are dear to them. The book could prompt discussions about holidays in other cultures. My children loved the jokes between Chicken and Mermaid, and they have been telling them to their friends. Our family especially liked it when Chicken's friends assisted in getting Mermaid to the farm. Their actions showed compassion and a willingness to help. If you like books about mermaids, animals, and friendship, you will enjoy Chicken to the Sea.