Children’s author Jan Brett and her chickens headed to Decatur

Few stories grab our hearts like Charles Perrault’s Cinderella.

And so it’s understandable how Jan Brett, who has been writing and illustrating children’s books for more than three decades, would glean a similarly endearing tale from her chicken coop.

Although it is in no way an innovative “Cinderella” – there are few surprising departures from the original story – “Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella” is as compelling as countless other versions of the classic fairy tale. The stepmother and stepsisters are as nasty as ever. And in the end the prince still finds his girl.

But don’t believe us. See for yourself.

Brett is scheduled to arrive in Atlanta Nov. 20 with two of the stars from her latest work: Cinders, the Silver phoenix and star of Brett’s tale, and Tanya, the silkie hen and model for the story’s fairy godmother.

Atlanta is one of two dozen stops the author will make this month aboard her “rock-star-style” tour bus wrapped in artwork from Cinders.

At 5 p.m., fans can meet the 63-year-old grandmother at the Decatur High School Performing Arts Center, where she will do a drawing demonstration and sign copies of her books.

During a tour stop in Columbus recently where she was scheduled to appear at the Ohio National Poultry Show, Brett said she traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia, for inspiration. Hence, the meticulous detail in her illustrations, from the ice palace to the exquisite ball gowns.

Brett said she first conceived the idea during a conversation with her editor, who also owns chickens.

“She and I were talking about how sometimes one will get bossy and pick on a little one, and we both said at the same time ‘Just like Cinderella,’ ” Brett recalled. “Then she said ‘why don’t you do a chicken Cinderella’.”

Brett started thinking how “dignified” her backyard poultry seemed. She imagined them dressed to the nines the way dog lovers dress their canine pets.

She liked the idea of her own pets struttin’ their stuff on the book’s pages. Besides it wouldn’t be the first time they played there.

It began, really, 15 years ago, Brett said, when she conceived Hedgie’s Surprise, which was the same time she purchased her first baby chicks - six as a matter of fact.

“I fell in love with them,” Brett said. “They had lovely personalities.”

Brett now owns more than 75 chickens of various ornamental breeds. But it wasn’t until until last year that she was inspired to devote a story solely to the birds.

Cinders is the fifth book the author has penned in which her chickens either star or have a guest appearance. The others are “Daisy Comes Home”, “Gingerbread Friends,” “The Easter Egg,” and “Hedgie’s Surprise”

Was there one chick in particular that inspired the Cinderella story?

“Yes, the Silver phoenix, Cinders,” Brett said.

Specifically, she said, the hen’s ash gray color and inner beauty.

Except for the chickens and the setting, Brett doesn’t deviate much from the original Cinderella because as she put it, “There’s something that resonates with people about it.”

But there are some differences. For instance, instead of arriving to the ball in a coach pulled by mice, Cinders’ coach is pulled by geese. Instead of the pumpkin carriage, there is a sleigh. And instead of plain old nasty stepsisters, Brett made them self-important.

During her visit to Atlanta, Brett, who says she draws all day long every day and only takes breaks to feed her chickens and stretch her legs, will detail how she gets ideas for her books and the illustrations that go along with them.

The goal, she said, is to get children to start thinking about telling their own stories and to encourage them to draw and be creative.

“It’s really all about educating children so that they are thinking I can do that,” she said.