About the Holiday
Established in 1986 with the founding of Farm Sanctuary, a refuge for farm animals and advocate for institutional farming practices and plant-based living, Adopt a Turkey Day inspires people to think of turkeys differently and encourages them to symbolically adopt one of the Sanctuaries rescued “spokesturkeys” to help with its care. Operating sanctuaries in Watkins Glen, NY and Los Angeles, CA, Farm Sanctuaries provides homes for chickens, cows, pigs, sheep, and goats, in addition to turkeys. They also connect animals with loving forever homes, where they can live with plenty of space and care. If you’d like to learn more about Farm Sanctuary, visit their website. To celebrate, give the generous turkey and his friends in Cold Turkey a forever home on your bookshelf!
Cold Turkey
Written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call | Illustrated by Chad Otis
A frigid blizzard blast swirls through the coop, and “turkey woke up c-c-cold. / He wheezed, ‘It’s ten degrees! / I need to b-b-bundle up / before I f-f-freeze!'” Turkey pulls on a turtleneck sweater and overalls, a scarf, hat, and mittens and heads out into the snow. When he comes to Sheep’s shed, he finds his friend “s-s-shivering” and gives him his hat, tying it on nice and tight.
Image copyright Chad Otis, 2021, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call, 2021. Courtesy of Little Brown Books for Young Readers.
Further down the path, Turkey finds Chick “all alone.” She tells him that her “‘beak is ch-ch-chattering. / I’m chilled right to the bone.'” Turkey wants to help and stuffs Chick’s crown and tail feathers into his two oversized mittens. Continuing on, Turkey finds Horse, who’s having trouble neighing through his frozen lips, and provides just the warmth he needs by wrapping his muzzle in his long, long scarf.
Image copyright Chad Otis, 2021, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call, 2021. Courtesy of Little Brown Books for Young Readers.
Turkey then discovers poor cow “qu-qu-quivering” and totally miserable. What can Turkey do? He find that his sweater makes an utterly warming udder warmer, and he’s on his way again. In the sty Turkey spies a “polar Pig” with icicles on his snout peeking from the straw. He says, “‘My body’s numb from snout to bum. / I don’t know when I’ll thaw.'” Turkey has just the thing to warm Pig’s cold behind. In a minute Pig is wearing Turkey’s overalls – even if they are a little snug.
Now Turkey “had loaned out all his loot. / He wobbled homeward, cold and bare, / in just his birthday suit!” Although he now was freezing, he thought “‘At least my heart feels warm.'” But his friends were very thankful and they built a roaring fire. They sat around it toasty warm – Turkey in his feathers and the rest in his attire.
Image copyright Chad Otis, 2021, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call, 2021. Courtesy of Little Brown Books for Young Readers.
If you and your kids love to laugh during story time and are looking for a new book to share this winter, you’ll want to trot out to your bookstore and pick up a copy of Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call’s hilarious story. A perfect read aloud that will get all kids ch-ch-chiming in on every teeth-ch-ch-chattering line, Cold Turkey is fast-paced, full of puns, and loaded with charm and empathy. Turkey’s generosity and the farm animals’ reciprocation adds a layer of sweetness and friendship that will enchant kids. Rosen Schwartz and Call’s impeccable rhyming and rhythm creates a cold-weather giggle fest that readers will want to return to again and again.
Chad Otis amplifies the humor with his adorably chunky animals and their goggle-eyed acceptance of Turkey’s largesse. Cowering, quivering, and complaining, the farm animals look laugh-out-loud funny stuffed into the bits and bobs of Turkey’s winter clothes. Otis’s clever choices and frozen landscape create active, dynamic scenes that flawlessly carry the story to its warm conclusion.
A quirky, hilarious romp in which kindness shines, Cold Turkey would be a quick favorite on home, classroom, and public library shelves. The book is highly recommended for winter story times and all throughout the year.
Ages 4 – 8
Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2021 | ISBN 978-0316430111
Discover more about Corey Rosen Schwartz and her books on her website.
To learn more about Kirsti Call and her books, visit her website.
You can find out more about Chad Otis and view a portfolio of his work on his website.
Adopt a Turkey Month Activity
Dress Your Own Turkey Activity Sheet
If you’re cr-cr-creative and love to c-c-color, then this printable Cold Turkey activity sheet is for you! Color and cut out Turkey and his clothes then get him all bundled up for the winter. You can even make Turkey some clothes for the other seasons as well!
Dress Your Own Turkey Activity Sheet
You can find Cold Turkey at these booksellers
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million
To support your local independent bookstore, order from
Picture Book Review
celebratepicturebooks.com 