Don's father, meanwhile, always seems distracted and has never held a job down for long. (She buys him a pair of special shoes: jazz oxfords.) Soon her role as a singer in the proceedings somehow becomes more important to her than his dancing. He hates to dance but loves the extra time he gets to spend with her when practising, especially the physical contact of standing on her feet as she takes him through the moves. Once Don's mother finally cottons on to the fact that there's a direct benefit for her from his celebrity, she shows more of an interest in Don and even gets him involved in dancing. Not in the Schmidt household, they won't. He founded Horse Island Food and Furniture on the premise that people will need a table to eat their food off. In return, Mr Bufford starts out wanting eggs but ultimately takes so much more. Mr Bobby Bufford, owner of Horse Island Food and Furniture, helped Don to 'rescue' her after she'd retired from the role of Henrietta, the Piano-Playing Hen. His favourite fowl is KC (as in KC and the Sunshine Band). Don is inclined to share his news - both good and bad - with his chickens. No one and nothing is quite what it seems. Of course, as with many families, the Schmidts are harbouring secrets. He's left waiting and hoping for the 'surprise cake' that never materialises. While Don's 11th birthday is forgotten, there's Dawn in her 'Kiss Me I'm Eleven' T-shirt grinning at him from a photo on a shelf. The house is littered with her dance trophies. Don lives in the shadow of Dawn, the big sister he never knew.

The chicken dance by jacques couvillon