Armadilly Chili

By Helen Ketteman and Will Terry

2005-2006 North Carolina Children's Book Award Master List
2007 Arizona Young Reader Award Picture Book Master List
2005 Winner, Storytelling World Award
Children's Books Top Picks, Southwest Books of the Year 2004
2005 Texas Library Association's 2 x 2 Reading List

A blue norther's a-blowing', and Miss Billie Armadilly is hankering to make a pot of chili! Only she needs to fix it all by herself because Tex the tarantula, Mackie the bluebird, and Taffy the horned toad are too busy to lend a hand. Well, she'll eat it all by herself, too! But then the smell of chili cooking in the cold night brings her friends one by one back to Miss Billie's door. What's a lady armadillo to do?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Release date: Jan 1, 2004
• ISBN: 9780807592328

Helen Ketteman

Helen Ketteman is the author of more than nineteen picture books. She writes for children ranging from preschool through fourth or fifth grade, and especially enjoys telling fractured fairy tales. Helen earned her Associate of Arts degree from Young Harris College in Young Harris, GA, and her B.A. degree in English from Georgia State University in Atlanta.

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Reviews for Armadilly Chili

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow. My personal favorite fable of all time is The Little Red Hen. I *so* empathize with everyone gathering 'round the kitchen as the food is coming out of the oven, but not before. At the same time, it's in my nature to see all perspectives, to try to respect others' points of view. And yet, I could never find a way to forgive the lazy animals, or the family members. Until now. After 4 decades, I finally found a fresh take on a story that really needed it.

Thank you Helen Ketteman!

Lively illustrations, critters that aren't pigs and chickens, perfectly rhythmic text, bright colors.... Oh this is a wonderful book. Read it for yourself though, as I don't want to spoil the creative ending that makes it so perfect for me.

[ebecker13 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful folktale that took a Texas-style spin on "The Little Red Hen". This book is about an armadillo who asks her friends to help her make armadilly chili, but she is turned down. She gets very upset that her friends won't hep her so she doesn't share her chili with them when they come back hungry and cold. She eventually realizes that something is missing, and what was missing was her friends. She forgives them and lets them eat chili with her in her warm home.

[riao-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is about an armadillo who is making some of her famous chili. She is working on it all day and throughout the book asks her friends for help with whatever task she is doing. They all turn her down but when the soup is finally ready that night they all come over and want some. She tells them no since they didn't help but they all come back with gifts and apologize. They end up having a nice evening spending time together.

[jrlandry1410 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The classic tale retold with a spicy texas twist, Miss. Billie spends all day making her chili and none of her friends want to help. Then when it comes time to eat they all want some and Miss. Billie refuses to reward their laziness, until they all bring food and friends to the party at the end. A good book for teaching children about folk tales, with some very colorful, beautiful illustrations.

[cshupp_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought this was a cute story with great art. The message (to help eachother out) was a great one and I really loved how the storyline played out. I am glad that the friends came back with different items to make up for not helping.

[missrader · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A riff off 'The Little Red Hen' given a southwest flavor. The main characters are different animals found in the southwestern United States along with southwestern ingredients such as hot peppers and cactus. Very colorful illustrations.

[msblast-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A southwestern twist on the classic "The Little Red Hen." Great dialogue and a different ending than the folktale.TEACHER TIP: This story works great as a reader's theater with 4th and 5th graders.