title: The Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery
author:  Doreen Cronin 
description: &#8220;Cronin brings her droll humor to the chapter book set with great success. Fast-paced and funny, with interesting vocabulary and a well-constructed plot, this is terrific fare for readers who are ready to move beyond picture books, but are intimidated by longer works.&#8221; (Publishers Weekly <strong>(starred review)</strong>)<br /><br />&#8220;The noirlike detective Tully and the funny chickens running around, well, like chickens make appealing characters, especially as drawn by Cornell, who knows how to get TV cartoon&#8211;style humor out of the action.&#8221; (Booklist)<br /><br />Praise for Doreen Cronin&#8217;s DIARY OF A FLY: &#8220;Irresistible and undeniably super.&#8221; (Publishers Weekly <strong>(starred review)</strong>)<br /><br />Praise for Doreen Cronin&#8217;s DIARY OF A FLY: &#8220;Teeming with funny vignettes.&#8221; (New York Times)<br /><br />Praise for Doreen Cronin&#8217;s DIARY OF A FLY: &#8220;Will have kids laughing out loud.&#8221; (School Library Journal <strong>(starred review)</strong>)<br /><br />Praise for Doreen Cronin&#8217;s DIARY OF A FLY: &#8220;Like its predecessors, this diary is a crowd-pleaser.&#8221; (ALA Booklist)<br /><br />Praise for Doreen Cronin&#8217;s DIARY OF A FLY: &#8220;Impeccable comedic timing.&#8221; (Horn Book Magazine)<br /><br />Praise for Doreen Cronin&#8217;s DIARY OF A SPIDER: &#8220;Once again, brilliantly hilarious.&#8221; (Kirkus Reviews <strong>(starred review)</strong>)<br /><br />Praise for Doreen Cronin&#8217;s DIARY OF A SPIDER: &#8220;A rib-tickling sequel.&#8221; (Publishers Weekly <strong>(starred review)</strong>)<br /><br />Praise for Doreen Cronin&#8217;s DIARY OF A SPIDER: &#8220;Hits squarely on the middle-grade funnybone.&#8221; (Bulletin of the Center for Children&#8217;s Books)
zlib_text: The Cauldron
  
  Richard Townshend Bickers
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright © Richard Townshend Bickers 1987
  
  The right of Richard Townshend Bickers to be identified as the author of this
  work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and
  Patents Act, 1988.
  
  First published in 1987 by Robert Hale Ltd.
  
  This edition published in 2018 by Endeavour Media Ltd.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Old Mother Hubbard
  
  Went to the cupboard,
  
  To fetch the poor dog a bone,
  
  But when she got there,
  
  The cupboard was bare;
  
  And so the poor dog had none.
  
  — Old nursery rhyme
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Table of Contents
  
  [1](index_split_004.html#filepos2484)
  
  [2](index_split_005.html#filepos27154)
  
  [3](index_split_006.html#filepos61436)
  
  [4](index_split_007.html#filepos88562)
  
  [5](index_split_008.html#filepos121690)
  
  [6](index_split_009.html#filepos141086)
  
  [7](index_split_010.html#filepos197094)
  
  [8](index_split_011.html#filepos227731)
  
  [9](index_split_012.html#filepos245897)
  
  [10](index_split_013.html#filepos289800)
  
  [11](index_split_01