Perfect Nest [Paperback]

Catherine Friend (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 5, 2007

Jack the cat is building the perfect nest. But it isn't for him. He plans to attract the perfect chicken, who will lay the perfect egg, which will make the perfect omelette! He can practically taste it... Sure enough, a chicken shows up - but so do a duck and a goose, and poor Jack gets much more than he bargained for.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 2—This highly comical yet heartwarming tale begins simply enough. Jack, a hungry farm cat, builds a perfect nest to attract the perfect chicken to lay a perfect egg for a delicious omelet. Everything is going even better than planned when he lures a chicken, a duck, and a goose, and each one lays a yummy egg. Unfortunately, Jack cannot convince any of them to leave the nest though he tries with cries of "Flood!" "Fire!" and "Wolf!" Finally he appeals to their greedy nature by telling of the better and empty nest at the farm down the road. They take off immediately, but before Jack can enjoy the eggs left behind, they hatch, and, to his horror, the chicks target him as mom. He can't possibly eat them. In the end, as he snuggles with the tired babies, he realizes how perfect his nest really is. This amusing tale gives each of the nesters a different nationality (French, American, Spanish) complete with accent. Manders's gouache illustrations are a perfect complement to the text. The bickering poultry; the hungry, then desperate, and finally horrified cat; the demanding chicks; and the auxiliary characters are all given wonderfully detailed expressions that can be laugh-out-loud funny. Varying perspectives in the illustrations give a nice sense of movement to the tale. The text gives the mood and action of the story and the art really brings it to life.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Manders decks out his Chuck Jones-style illustrations in bunnies with long floppy ears and big toothy grins." Kirkus on Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies"

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Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Walker Childrens Paperbacks (November 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844282163
• ISBN-13: 978-1844282166
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,059,486 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Nest, February 16, 2007

By 

Barney Considine (Missoula, Montana USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Perfect Nest (Hardcover)

Reviewing children's picture books is a bit out of my league but this is a wonderful little book. Catherine Friend has turned out some excellent material for children and this is a wonderful example. The artwork by John Manders will intrigue any child and perfectly complements the story.

The "stars" of this book are feline and fowl. Jack the cat wants an omelet but knows the egg precedes the omelet, the chicken comes before the egg, and first must be the nest. I'll leave it to the reader to follow the story and see what Jack gets. Along the way you will meet not only the chicken, but also a duck, and a goose. They speak just enough Spanish and French so that the young readers will have to translate a couple of words for their parents. Mom and Dad will be fascinated to learn that language is genetic in fowls.

"The Perfect Nest" will make a perfect gift. Gracias, Merci, Thank-ye; Ms. Friend.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect children's book, April 16, 2007

By 

Carlos Gonzalez (COCONUT CREEK, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Perfect Nest (Hardcover)

I have read this book two nights in a row (we bought it two days ago) to my 5 and 6 year old children. We all love it. It has everything you want in a children's book: humor, great illustrations, tenderness, a great moral. It is currently our favorite book. I hope the author comes up with another gem like this one very soon!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Charming story kids will love, May 1, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Perfect Nest (Hardcover)

The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend and illustrated by John Manders is a picture book for children four to seven. Friend is the author of Hit by a Farm: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Barn, written for adult readers. Manders has illustrated numerous children's books, including Henry and the Buccaneer.

Jack the cat is determined to build the perfect nest. It must be the right size and it must be dry and cozy because he has a very special purpose for it. He wants to attract a chicken who will lay an egg. The perfect egg. An egg that will make a tasty omelet.

But Jack didn't count on his nest attracting a chicken, a duck and a goose. The three eggs would make a wonderful three-egg omelet, if only the animals would let him near the nest. There is nothing Jack can do to make the chicken, duck and goose leave the nest, until he tells them of an empty nest they don't have to share.

The animals rush for the new nest, leaving Jack with the three eggs. But before he can make his omelet, the eggs crack open--and he's left carrying for the babies. Jack finds that he's got much more than he bargained for, and that turns out to be a good thing.

The Perfect Nest, with all of Jack's antics, will involve children in the story. The illustrations are delightful. They're realistic, colorful and depict the story perfectly.

Armchair Interviews says: The Perfect Nest will charm children.