The Trouble With Chickens

The Trouble With Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery is a children’s chapter book by American author Doreen Cronin. Jonathan Joseph Tully, or J.J. for short, is a former rescue dog bored by his retired life in the countryside. J.J. reluctantly agrees to help his neighbor Moosh, a strange but caring chicken, find her missing chicks, Poppy and Sweeties. J.J. follows the clues and discovers that the inside dog, Vince, has taken the chicks. J.J. has to rely on his smarts and his fledgling friendship with the chicken family to overcome Vince’s terrible plans and save the chicks—and himself. The novel explores themes of Friendship and Betrayal, Purpose and Belonging, The Value of Teamwork, and Approaches to Problem-Solving.

This guide refers to the 2011 Kindle edition of this book.

Plot Summary

In Chapter 1, J.J. Tully remembers the hot summer day when he first met his neighbor, Millicent the chicken, whom he calls Moosh. He thinks she is a tough but crazy bird. In Chapter 2, J.J. explains that his full name is Jonathan Joseph Tully and that he used to work as a search-and-rescue dog before he had to retire to the countryside.