Barkus and Sly, two thieving foxy cousins, sneak into the hen house and steal three chickens for their supper. But the clever chickens hatch a plan to escape the cooking pot by convincing the greedy pair that they can lay golden eggs. Then they turn the thieves against each other and escape in the confusion – but not before they find a way to return all the stolen loot to its rightful owners. This satisfying tale demonstrates how the weak can outwit the strong and how good can triumph over evil. First published in England under the title, The Baddies’ Goodies.

Reviews

In this intriguing adaptation of Angela McAlister’s tale, illustrated by Sally Anne Lambert, two conniving foxes (Barkus and Sly) plan to steal three chickens from the hen house in order to enjoy a roast chicken dinner. They go ahead with the heist and lock the chickens in a shed that is loaded with loot. The chickens eventually outwit the sly foxes and escape. The delightful artwork combined with narrator Debra Leigh’s irresistible animal voices will mesmerize young viewers as they follow the trio’s clever escape plan that involves pitting the cousins against one another. Background music and sound effects add to the fun in this entertaining iconographic program.
Booklist. February 1, 2010.

Barkus and Sly, two tricky foxes, think they’re pretty clever. But when they sneak into the hen house and swipe three chickens with a tasty meal in mind, these two shysters meet their match. The chickens use what’s at hand to turn the two against each other, causing a falling out among thieves and saving themselves in the bargain. Sally Anne Lambert’s humorous watercolor illustrations are scanned iconographically. Angela McAllister’s delightful book is read by Debra Leigh who creates unique voices for each character; background music adds a nice touch. A fun introduction to the book.
School Library Journal, January 2010

Narrated by Debra Leigh, this iconographic-animated adaptation of the watercolor picture book by author Angela McAllister and illustrator Sally Anne Lambert was first published in the UK as?The Baddies’ Goodies.?Titular fox cousins Barkus and Sly steal three hens and keep them in their shed for an upcoming meal.. Naturally, the poultry trio – Biddy, Buffy, and Tweed – would prefer5 not to be eaten, so they hatch a plot to create a “golden” egg in order to rick the foxes into believing the birds would be more valuable alive. Sly and Barkus each hope to capitalize on the new development, so they don’t tell each other about the cash cow (or chicken), giving the hens time to use the pair’s greediness as a means to help them parlay their way home. A simple tale of cleverness prevailing over avarice, this program is recommended.Starred Review
Video Librarian, September/October 2010.