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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Egg Drop, written and illustrated by Mini Grey. Knopf, Random House, 2002. $18.99 ages 4 and up


"The Egg was young.
It didn't know much.
We tried to tell it,
but of course it didn't listen.

If only it had waited."

Things can't be good!

The only thing this egg wants to do is to fly. It surrounds itself with a kite, a helicopter, feathers, balloons, a toy plane, a wind-up duck and loves to spend hours watching anything that can fly. Using all of its imaginative powers, it dreams of ways to make its most burning wish come true. But, it is young and naive to the ways of the world, and especially to the principles of aerodynamics. It did know one thing...you had to start high! So,up he goes. When he finally launches himself into space and revels in the feeling of freedom, he is ecstatic. He's certain that he has achieved flight...not so, I'm afraid. While he is moving through space, it is in a downward plunge and soon he is scrambled on the ground. Any attempts to 'doctor' him are futile; but he provides a great breakfast!

There is foreshadowing as we see in the above quote; thus, listeners are not too surprised to learn the Egg's fate. You will love sharing the illustrations as you go, noting the fun and irreverence that Mini Grey adds in her double-page spreads which are filled with varying perspectives, and a full of detail chronicle of the events here noted. When you are finished be sure to take a quick look at the endpapers, front and back, for another quiet chuckle.

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