Last One in Is a Rotten Egg! (Gilbert and Friends) [Hardcover]

Diane Degroat (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 23, 2007 | Age Level: 3 and up | Series: Gilbert and Friends

Gilbert and Lola are excited that their cousin Wally is coming for a visit—just in time for the Easter egg hunt! But soon they learn how competitive Wally has become. He has to be the fastest, be the first in line, and find the most eggs, no matter who gets hurt. How can Gilbert deal with such relentless rivalry?

In this humorous and encouraging story by Diane deGroat, Gilbert—everyone’s favorite opossum—teaches Wally who the rotten egg really is!

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2—In this 10th book about Gilbert, the young opossum and his sister are excited about their cousin's visit. They soon realize, however, that having Wally around isn't as much fun as they had imagined. He is so competitive that he turns everything into a contest. "Last one in is a rotten egg" is his favorite phrase, which he yells while running to beat the others at whatever activity is taking place, even getting to the lunch table first. The children attend an Easter egg hunt and Wally fills his basket quickly while Gilbert takes the time to help his little sister search for eggs. Lola spots the golden egg, which signifies a prize, but neither she nor Gilbert can reach it high in a tree. Wally takes it from its perch but instead of giving it to Lola, keeps it for himself. In the end, Lola wins her prize, Wally learns to share, and the three become friends. Pastel, cartoon-style watercolor illustrations depict the activities while revealing the small town's populace made up of raccoons, porcupines, rabbits, cats, and dogs. Children will relate to the story, which imparts a gentle lesson on how to be a friend.—Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gilbert the opossum boy is excited because his cousin Wally is arriving in time for the Easter egg hunt. But Wally has changed since Gilbert saw him last. He's bigger and more competitive, and he is always informing people they're going to be a rotten egg. At the park's egg hunt, Wally gathers eggs faster than anyone else and is on target to win one of the prizes. Then Lola spies the golden egg that will win another prize. Wally helps her get it down from the tree--only to put it in his own basket! Unbeknownst to Wally, as he hurries down the hill, he has been dropping his eggs, which Gilbert and Lola have picked up. The transition to the moment when Lola gets the prize forher golden egg is rusty, but Gilbert and Wally's sharing of the other prize is a nice moment. Everything is familiar here, and the art is a little static, but deGroat's many fans will welcome another book about Gilbert. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (January 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060892943
• ISBN-13: 978-0060892944
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,203,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Diane deGroat is the illustrator of more than 120 children's books and the author-illustrator of other bestselling books about Gilbert, including Mother, You're the Best! (But Sister, You're a Pest!); Last One in Is a Rotten Egg!; Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet; Jingle Bells, Homework Smells; Happy Birthday to You, You Belong in a Zoo; No More Pencils, No More Books, No More Teacher's Dirty Looks!; Brand-new Pencils, Brand-new Books; and the New York Times bestseller roses are pink, your feet really stink. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Last One in Is a Rotten Egg!, March 8, 2008

By 

B. Moscoso "Elementary Teacher" (Walnut, California USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Last One in Is a Rotten Egg! (Gilbert and Friends) (Hardcover)

If you have a child at home in preschool or early elementary school, and are looking for a good book, this book is for you! This is a wonderful Easter-time story about a hedgehog named Gilbert, who meets up with his seldom seen cousin, Wally. Though related, Wally and Gilbert are the opposite when it comes to manners. I am a substitute teacher, and I read this to a class of first graders. Even though it was time for recess the kids were "begging" me to turn the page so they could find out what happens next!

5.0 out of 5 stars Rotten Egg, December 1, 2008

By 

Meg (Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Last One in Is a Rotten Egg! (Gilbert and Friends) (Hardcover)

Children love Diane deGroat books and this one is charming for a read-a-loud or for shared reading in the classroom or for storytime at night at home!

5.0 out of 5 stars Gilbert, October 6, 2007

By 

A. D. Cox (northern PA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Last One in Is a Rotten Egg! (Gilbert and Friends) (Hardcover)

Let me tell you a feel-good story. It involves love - the love of a mother for her daughter, and a child's passionate, exhilarated, uncomplicated love for books. This is the true story of Deb Raymer, and her daughter Sabrina, and how I came to know them. This holiday season, I am grateful that Deb has shared parts of her story, and that through her mom, Sabrina has shared a wonderful cast of characters previously unknown to me.

A couple of months ago, Deb asked me to help her find a series of books. All Sabrina wants for Christmas is "Gilbert". Deb needed to order multiple copies of each book in the collection, she explained. Sabrina loves the "Gilbert" books so much, that she reads them to pieces. Literally. While I am always thrilled to see someone who loves books that much, that's not even the best part of the story. Sabrina is mentally and physically handicapped. She has a job at Partners in Progress that she enjoys. Whenever she rides to work on the bus, she has a "Gilbert" book - or two, or three - in her bag, and she "reads" them to the other passengers. Sabrina has memorized her favorite books. Her mother needs to keep buying new copies of them because Sabrina pages through them so much and so often that they fall apart.

Gilbert, the hedgehog, and his sister Lola, are creations from the paintbrush and pen of Diane de Groat. This author/illustrator started working in children's literature by doing the artwork for some well-known children's authors, such as Lois Lowry and Eve Bunting. De Groat started on her Gilbert series in 1996 with "Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink", which is still Sabrina's favorite.

I hadn't heard of de Groat, and Deb gave my literary ego a boost by reassuring me that I'm not alone. Often, when Deb and Sabrina have searched for Gilbert in libraries and bookstores, he is nowhere to be found. So, it's time to spread the word. Diane de Groat has created a fun, inexpensive series with sympathetic characters, situations that kids can relate to, and a little lesson that doesn't come across like a 2"x 4" to the forehead. The titles themselves produce a smile for kids and adults alike. Now there's a Gilbert for every season in a child's life. A reader can start school with Gilbert in "Brand New Pencils, Brand New Books" and end the school year with the companion volume, "No More Pencils, No More Books! No More Teacher's Dirty Looks!" In these final months of the year, we have been enjoying "We Gather Together, Now Please Get Lost" for Thanksgiving, and "Jingle Bells, Homework Smells" for Christmas.

The Gilbert books have been so successful that now his sister Lola has her own series, books for slightly younger children, that often include Gilbert, but from Lola's point-of-view. When Lola can't decide what to be for Halloween, she finally decides to be "a Gilbert", because she knows he's an original. I think Sabrina and Lola are on to something good.

Author,"Hobo Finds A Home"