Hunwick's Egg [Hardcover]

Mem Fox (Author), Pamela Lofts (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

When a mysterious egg appears outside Hunwick's burrow after a terrible storm, no one knows what to do with it. And when it doesn't hatch right away, everyone is even more bewildered. Everyone, that is, but Hunwick. For Hunwick understands the egg. It is his friend. And he is the only one who knows its secret.

From the author and illustrator of the modern classic Koala Lou, here is a moving tale of loneliness, friendship, and most of all, the power the imagination has to change the way we see the world.

(20050301)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–Beginning with the traditional opening, "Once upon a time," this touching story features a kindhearted bandicoot named Hunwick, who, one evening after a tumultuous storm, finds "a most curious egg." After conferring with Emu, Cockatoo, and Echidna, Hunwick takes it back to his burrow and gives it a safe and cozy home. The odd egg, which refuses to hatch, becomes the gentle bandicoot's friend and confidante. Although Hunwick's neighbors are concerned about the situation, the creature comes to realize that the egg is actually a perfectly shaped stone and continues to "love it with all his heart." This slightly offbeat story with a universal message about the power of friendship is accompanied by glowing watercolor pencil illustrations in orange, pink, and violet tones that showcase the flora and fauna of the Australian landscape, adding an interesting element to this charming title. Young readers will appreciate Hunwick's loyalty and may be curious to learn more about the exotic animals portrayed in the lovely artwork.–Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. The creators of Koala Lou (1994) offer another picture book that nearly explodes with the exotic plants and animals of Australia. After a violent desert storm, Hunwick, an irresistible, saucer-eyed bandicoot, finds a solitary egg, which he brings back to his cozy burrow. He continues a tender friendship with it even when it doesn't hatch, and his friends become worried. Finally, Hunwick reveals that he has known that his egg isn't an egg at all; it's a stone, which he continues to love "with all his heart." The abrupt conclusion is puzzling, and the layouts, featuring small inset scenes surrounded by creatures and plants set against white backgrounds, don't always make the most of Lofts' striking, detailed, colored-pencil art. But children will easily be drawn to Lofts' astonishingly expressive animal characters, and Fox's gentle text may resonate with young ones who feel a magical connection or companionship with their own cherished rock, shell, or shred of blanket. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1 edition (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152163182
• ISBN-13: 978-0152163181
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #494,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

MEM FOX is the author of many acclaimed books, including Possum Magic, Koala Lou, Time for Bed, and, for adults, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever. She lives in Adelaide, Australia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another lovely book from Mem Fox, May 18, 2005

By 

Lin "childrens' book addict from downunder" (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hunwick's Egg (Hardcover)

Mem Fox has done it again! Hunwick's Egg is a lovely book - I bought it for my children for Easter - In Australia, the Easter Bilby has become as well known as the Easter Bunny! The illustrations are fabulous and look very much like the illustrations in Koala Lou, also illustrated by Pamela Lofts. I heard Mem Fox in a radio interview commenting that Pamela Lofts travelled to Central Australia in order to ensure the accuracy of her animal illustrations, right down to the ants! Well she certainly did a wonderful job. The story is very engaging with a little 'secret' revealed at the end. A lovely book to add to your collection and a great Easter gift.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars *Those Mesmerizing Eyes & A Special Easter Egg*, March 31, 2006

By 

mcHaiku "nmi" (Brown County INDIANA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Hunwick's Egg (Hardcover)

How could I have missed HUNWICK until now? He is a rabbit-eared Bandicoot, one of an endangered species, familiarly known in Australia as the BILBY. *Aussie* reviewer "LIN" won me over by suggesting that "Hunwick's Egg" would be a great Easter gift. Hunwick and his mysterious egg become very special friends but the egg does not hatch.

They are scrutinized by a collection of the weirdest animals you ever yearned to hug: a cockatoo, an echidna (resembling a porcupine), and the hairiest of emus who could benefit from a bit of *Bryll Cream* . . . Hunwick is all heart and reaches out to readers with the most irresistible eyes to ever appear on your radar screen! But still the egg does not hatch. The plant life is gorgeous, drawn ever so delicately in watercolor pencils. I am most captivated by a plant resembling the eucalyptus, and other green wildflowers.

After referring to my dictionary I felt tricked into falling for a RAT, of all things. I don't want to believe what my faithful reference says about this darling creature!

The more important reality is that HAPPINESS CAN ERUPT FROM THE MOST UNEXPECTED OF RELATIONSHIPS. It is remarkable how loneliness vanishes when you can share your burrow. Reviewer mcHAIKU recommends that you make sure you have an Easter Basket large enough to accommodate this precious book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not an Easter Bilby Adventure but A Good Read None the Less, September 21, 2007

By 

James N Simpson (Gold Coast, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Hunwick's Egg (Hardcover)

This story by the successful author of many children's book classics such as Possum Magic and Koala Lou cleverly cashes in on the Australian Easter Bilby legend that has grown over the years through the selling of chocolate bilbies to raise money to save the endangered bilby from extinction. The book however has nothing at all to do with Easter or the Easter Bilby but the title and cover illustration cleverly catch the eye of this market! The illustrator Pamela Lofts has again done a brilliant job with her unique style (sort of realistic but not entirely so with human traits for the animals thrown in).

In Hunwick's Egg a mysterious egg arrives in the Australian desert during a storm. Hendwick a bilby after ensuring it belongs to no other animal immediately takes possession. As it becomes more and more obvious the egg will never hatch the other Australian wildlife become increasingly concerned about their friend. Hendwick knows something they don't know though!

If you have fallen in love with bilbies through the illustrations and want to help save the real ones before they are wiped from the planet go to easterbilbydotcomdotau (replace the word dot with full stops Amazon doesn't post reviews with other websites). Or alternatively if you're in Australia visit real bilbies at David Fleay Wildlife on the Gold Coast who run a breeding and research program where you can also make donations to ensure their future existence!