The Adventures of Cheéka the Rooster

"He loves to listen to the sound of his voice across the meadows."

Cheéka has long been the sole rooster in the barnyard. He enjoys his status tremendously and confidently until competition arrives. The new rooster and Cheéka soon engage in a loud dispute relating to dominance and territory. The argument upsets many of the different and previously placid species on the farm, who respond with their classic sounds, each of which gets an illustration that is eye-catching and beautiful. Through the din, the cry of a hen distracts them amidst the disturbances in the barnyard that their argument facilitates. The need for immediate teamwork overrides their hostility, and the two, now a team, work together. In the process, they learn to appreciate each other and the skills that each brings to create a successful conclusion to the crisis.

This book of vivid pictures and text geared to very young children demonstrates the pressing need for cooperation and group work that rises above baser personal gratification. The roosters demonstrate the virtues of good leadership and common sense as they put aside their ego-related quests for dominance to perform necessary acts. It is a lesson that is pertinent for every time period and should resonate with most readers. The author demonstrates her skill in crafting a tale that reflects positive values in beings whose initial flaws are as relatable as they are believable. The author’s lesson to the book's young readers is that one must have the wisdom, common sense, and compassion to put aside one’s baser feelings for higher purposes and to create teamwork that not only overrides but heals discord.

- The US Review of Books

This is a book about a rooster named Cheéka, who lives on farmer Pickle’s farm, along
with all of his farm-animal friends, and the rest of the Pickle family.

Life is beautiful on the farm; in particular on a nice sunny day as all of the animals are
going about their routines. The Pickle family is having breakfast in the farm house.

Then, in the barn, Cheéka hears a distant sound – a cock-a-doodle-doowhich aroused
his curiosity. What can this be? Is there another rooster on my farm? – he thinks to
himself. After following the sound, yes, Cheéka discovers another rooster. A conflict
instantly arises when the two roosters meet - “Hello! I am Cheéka, and I am the rooster
who lives here.” “Hi! I am Teéka, and I live here now too.” “No, you do not,” Cheéka
replied, looking at him with a frown.

A fight begins when all of a sudden Heleen, the mother hen, squawks buck-buck-buck
as an alert. Both roosters see a hawk swooping down to steal a baby chick, and they
jointly fight off the hawk, saving the baby chick and impressing Heleen, the mother hen.

At this point the moral of the story becomes evident, as the two roosters shake wings
and become friends, realizing it is better to have two instead of only one to protect the
farm animals from predators. The book closes with a chorus of onomatopoeia having
each of the farm animals talking in their own language.

Award-winning author Silvia Sama-Lambiv has crafted a blend of narration of text,
coupled with exquisite illustrations, bringing together a theme of symbiotic friendship.
Interestingly the author shows how sometimes initial conflict to the point of bullying can
quickly morph into a deep friendship when presented with a common threat. These
lessons, plus the behavior of a variety of farm animals, will be imprinted into the growing
minds of youngsters as they page The Adventures of Cheéka the Rooster.

This book will make an excellent read for the youngest of children and an excellent gift
for a baby shower or a lower single-digit birthday. A short bio of the author is presented
at the close of the book, which offers more insight into her background. I recommend
buying the printed version of this book due to the way the pages are laid out, where the
illustrations are overlapping the spine.

- Pacific Book Review