Chatty the Hen Pheasant
Travels With The Pack
by
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We were hunting pheasant in South Dakota on a gray November day when the weather suddenly changed. The afternoon winds picked up and blasted us with blinding snow. It fell like white dog blankets, thicker and thicker. The Great One disappeared from my sight!
So, what if I’m all alone now,” I said to myself. “I’m going to find a pheasant and bring it back to my hunter. We’re a team, the Great One and me.”
I spotted a pile of snow that had drifted close into a stand of trees. I leaped through the snow toward the snowbank. I smelled something like chicken nuggets the people give us. That’s a fragrance I remember—a pheasant! I sailed into the big drift of snow—five-feet high. I couldn’t see. I heard snoring! My brain yelled “grab it!” I caught hold of something warm and large with my mouth. I dragged it out of the snow.
“Peep! Peep! Peep! Let go of me you wooly black bear!” the bird squawked. “What are you doing? Let go of me. I’ll screech until all my pheasant friends come running! Why don’t you answer me? It’s cold. Let me go! You’re scaring me. I want back in my nest—under the snow where it’s nice and warm. Now! Don’t you hear me? Are you deaf?”
I held the pheasant’s brown, spotted body gently in my mouth while her head, tail feathers, and legs dangled out both sides.
I can’t bark because I’ll drop this bird and she’ll fly away! She’s heavy. Why does she keep peeping? Where’s the Great One?
The pheasant twisted her head around to gaze at me. “My name’s Chatty. What’s yours? You know if you open your mouth, you can answer me!”
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About the Book
“My official name is Cimaroc Lucky Nassau. The Great One (my human hunter and owner) calls me Nassau. I’m a Labrador Retriever. To retrieve means to bring back—and that’s what I do best—everywhere we hunt in America!” This starts the story of Chatty the Hen Pheasant. Chatty is a humorous and adventure-filled story with plenty of action to keep the interest of elementary children. What happens when a smart pheasant meets up with a determined hunting dog? Both animals use tons of playful antics throughout the story. Chatty the Hen Pheasant will win the hearts and minds of all who read this story. The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow: A Hickory Doc’s Tale — “This action-packed story will spark the imagination of young readers. Harkey is a gifted storyteller and has created interesting and diverse characters. She skillfully uses friendly dialogue and adventure to offer lessons in friendship, inclusion, and courage.” Recommended by the US Review “Linda Harkey delivers again on a tale that is half morality play and half Seinfeld. Chatty, an endlessly gabby pheasant, and Nassau, a devoted Labrador, run in to each other smack dab in the middle of a snow storm, only to discover that there are hidden rules running their universe. Mike Minick’s illustrations are an absolute delight, but it’s the dialogue and Nassau’s endeavor to be the best dog in the toughest job that makes the story. All I can say is, the Great One better fork over the rawhide chews, pronto.” Scott Jones, author of and throw away the skins and Jupiter and Gilgamesh, a novel of Summeria and Texas Doc, WIllie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family: A Hickory Doc’s Tale – “These hunting dogs jump off the page and come to life through Linda’s tales of their adventures as they face challenges in life. Linda’s stories engaged our students in the lives of these dogs, sparking great discussions and learning activities about character development, sequencing, and elements of the story. One student brought a stuffed puppy dog named Zeke to join the fun every week.” Cindy Carr, teacher, eagle nest elementary – NBCT PLF NE Regional Coordinator
About the Author
Linda Harkey’s experiences as a mother, school teacher, Sunday school teacher, volunteer docent, and hunting dog owner have inspired her to write the award-winning children’s book series, Hickory Doc’s Tales. She dedicates all her books to her family—Michael, Owen and Carrie, Morgan, Austin and Mica, Averie, and Alec. She is the author of seven other children’s books: The Budding Staff (2005) Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)(2017) The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale) (2018) Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale) (2019) Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale) (2019) Doc’s Dog Days (A Hickory Doc’s Activity Book) (2019) The Wayward Path of the Devil and Mr. Snake in the Garden of Eden (2021) Mike Minick is a graphic designer and illustrator in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He lives with his wife Joey and their two children.