For those of us who are awkward and nerdy and generally socially challenged, the kind of book that newcomer Jacques Couvillon has written is both very good and quite awful. I’m sure that the more Neurotypical you are, the more fun you’ll get from this book. I did enjoy it, though, and it definitely qualifies as one for my Aspie Books list. But I need to stop wincing first.
Chicken Dance reminded me a lot of Louis Sachar’s Holes, except this is about keeping chickens and about dancing. Eleven-year-old Don lives on a chicken farm in Horse Island, Louisiana. His parents are anything but normal, and Don dreams of his dead sister Dawn, when he’s not tending to his beloved chickens, or learning to dance.
It’s Don’s priceless observations on life in general that make this story so special. He is not very capable socially, but he’s an intelligent boy who doesn’t miss much. Except the outstretched hand waiting for a handshake. He also doesn’t know not to begin a conversation with “Are you at that time in your menstrual cycle?”
And speaking of cycles; throughout the book they are peddled. I wish they could have been pedal(l)ed instead.
The Occasional Bookwitch 
I enjoyed your review, I’ll check out the book!