Three Hens and a Peacock by Lester L. Laminack, illustrated by Henry Cole

Tucker's Farm is a quiet place with very few visitors coming to buy produce, milk, or eggs. However, everything changes when a peacock unexpectedly arrives. At first the peacock doesn't know where to go, so he settles on strutting next to the road. His flashy feathers and screeching voice attracts new customers to Tucker's Farm. With business doing well, everyone is happy except the hens. The hens think the peacock is useless since he doesn't lay any eggs. So after hearing their complaints, the old dog suggests the peacock and hens switch jobs for the day.

Three Hens and a Peacock is a story about not judging someone because they play a different part than others. When the hens and the peacock fulfill their intended duties, the farmer has eggs to sell and a the peacock attracts customers to buy them. But when the roles switch, nothing is accomplished. This experience helps both the hens and peacock to better appreciate the other. But along with the thoughtful story, this book is richly comical thanks to Cole's watercolor, ink, and colored pencil illustrations. The exaggerated expressions Cole captures on the farm animals are hilarious. Any age group would enjoy this witty but contemplative tale.