Free Range and Uncle Wattles hope to ditch their wily foes

A nutty mentor's letter may just ease their weasel-woes

Pack your bags, and they will, too, as all who train will know

That the "Temple of the Salted Egg"'s where kung-fu dreamers go!

That lovable, whimsical chicken trio is back!

Free Range, Uncle Wattles, and Small Fry finally ended their round-the-world odyssey—but still had to find a way to shake the two tenacious weasels on their trail!

In a last-ditch effort to rid themselves of Slim and Glutton for good, the chickens split up, with Small Fry going off in search of UFOs, and our two remaining yardbirds taking up residence in the renowned Salted-Egg Temple, where each will pursue his unique kung fu dreams.

Plot Summary

Designed for children between 6 and 15, Chicken Stew: Tales from the Salted-Egg Temple is set in a mysterious martial-arts community where Uncle Wattles and Free Range will begin a brand new chapter in their colorful lives.

At the temple, Free Range and his fellow trainees get off to a contentious start, but finally band together in pursuit of kung fu excellence. Uncle Wattles, on the other hand, seems content to nurture ever more outrageous fantasies of a glorious kung fu past that never was. Their differing approaches to the kung fu ideal makes for comic confusion in abundance.

Main Character

Free Range: A cheerful, overly-energetic young rooster with an undying passion for the martial arts. His drive to be a top kung fu master keeps him training hard at Salted- Egg Temple.

Uncle Wattles: A supposed "kung fu master"—one whose colorful, self-generated legend obscures the fact that he is virtually without skills. Having been cajoled by his mentor into the temple's top teaching position, he now has the nightmarish task of concealing his near-rookie status from the inquisitive Free Range, 'round the clock!

Tick-Tick: "Tick-Tick"—an affectionate reference to the countdown for a time bomb—is a hotheaded monkey with poor eyesight and a worse temper still. Tick-Tick tends to lead with his fists, invariably leaving his unremarkable mind to bring up the rear.

Sly: A clever, smooth-talking chameleon who's not above bribing Uncle Wattles in order to avoid training altogether.

Lineus the Mad: The greatest kung fu master at the Salted Egg Temple, specializing in the knowledge and exploitation of bodily pressure points. This old master's brilliance, coupled with his various eccentricities, ensure a one-of-a-kind program of study at the temple.

Trixie Cacciatore: Free Range's mother, a tough number brimming with kung fu potential, is dedicated to looking out for her "baby" at the temple. Her determination to protect him from harm spells disaster for any who would bully him.

Chicken Stew: Tales of the Salted Egg Temple follows the saga of Uncle Wattles and Free Range after their amazing world travels. A cryptic letter leads Uncle Wattles and Free Range to the temple where Wattles chased after kung fu dreams of his own long ago. There, the now out-of-shape Wattles is roped by his dotty old master into becoming head instructor, while Free Range begins to train with a vengeance.

Tick-Tick, a fellow with a short fuse, and Sly, a petty little trickster, are long-time students at the temple. They give Free Range a tough time on his arrival, while "Master" Wattles, for his part, begins baffling the boy with a host of bizarre, useless "kung fu" teachings of his own invention.

The zany residents and quirky dynamics at Salted–Egg Temple make for a rousing, laughter-filled romp behind those hallowed ancient walls.

Enjoy a glimpse into the lives of this motley band of fellows striving, each in his own way, to make the kung fu ethic a way of life!