Customer Reviews

The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg (Sandpiper Books)

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Written entirely in rhythmic rhyming couplets, excellently illustrated, The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg sets a very high standard in children's literature.

Myrtle (an appropriately named turtle dove) is working to overcome a depression following the departure of her offspring from the nest when she happens upon what appears to be a gigantic and very strange egg. With the assistance of some frisky young squirrels the egg is relocated to her empty nest and Myrtle commits herself to sitting on it until it hatches.

Our little dove, "The symbol of peace and of motherly love" endures the scorn of the other birds which intensifies after the egg does indeed hatch...

And once more the birds crowded Myrtle's treetop

To watch as the egg cracked apart with a pop.

Then a feathery thing poked his little head out.

Bewildered and frightened, he looked all about.

"Happy Birthday!" the dove whispered softly to him

And he felt more at home and hopped out on the limb.

At first all the birds were just too stunned to speak.

But finally a jay blurted out, "It's a freak!

Just look! The thing is half lion, half eagle.

I'm sure that it must be unsafe or illegal."

"No, no," said the owl, with a long, thoughtful look.

"It's a creature straight out of a fairy-tale book.

The thing's called a griffin. It doesn't exist,

But as a precaution I firmly insist

That we ought to get rid of the brute right away

Or it might grow up or cause trouble some day."

Myrtle chases the accusers away, names the little griffin Zeke, and begins a loving process of mentorship set against the relentless and mocking condemnation of the other birds. Eventually Zeke comes into his own as a heroic and powerful deliverer and earns the admiration and respect of his former antagonists - even the owl (though he can't resist taking one final shot).

"But I'm right," the owl said, "on one thing at least;

He doesn't exist, he's a mythical beast."

"Does he mean," worried Zeke, "that I'm not really here?

That most any minute I might disappear?"

"It's nonsense," scoffed Myrtle, "he's a silly old bird.

But if it makes him feel better, let him have the last word."

Bill Peet is one of our family's favorite childrens' authors, and this is one of his best books. It has a flowing, rythmic rhyme and a positive message typical of his stories. In this case, the theme is about solving problems without violence, featuring a dove and her adopted son, a griffin. The illustrations are great.

With the rhyming style and the expressive pictures, my kids used to memorize many of Pete's books long before they could actually read. I also highly recommend a couple of our other favorites, "The Ant and the Elephant" and "How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head" (even though those don't rhyme so much).

This is a very interesting and warm story. My sons love this colorful egg and all the things happend to the cute bird with all his friends. They keep asking, "then what", "then what". I would like to recommend this book to those curious kids and adults.

I loved Bill Peet books as a child, and I still really like them today. I recently bought the whole set so that my children will have them, and realized that I remember every character and every plot from 20+ years ago when my parents read them to me. They really made an impact on me. The illustrations are cute and captivating, the characters are engaging, the stories and well told, and each book has a meaning. There are few authors who can create such a fine balance in childrens' books.

What a great book! I have a 5 yr old & this has become his favorite book. I love how the dove (symbol of peace) teaches the griffin (symbol of war) that he doesn't have to be dangerous.

As you can see from the title, Bill Peet has a way with language that both children and adults enjoy. This story contains the usual Peet elements of innovative story line, excellent vocabulary (especially enjoyable for reading parents), detailed and humourous illustrations and a positive conclusion with a moral point. Once you read one of his books, you will be on the hunt for the rest. Fortunately, there are quite a few of them! This is the kind of book that adults remember from their childhood and wish to share with their children. They become favorites to read over and over.

The Author Bill Peet has the gift to spark the imagination of all children. His stories are amazing. There are over 30 kids books by him and I recommend them all!The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg (Sandpiper Books)

For those of you unfamiliar with Bill Peet, you have a wonderful experience ahead for you and your children. Formerly an animator with the Disney Studios, Peet turned to books for children as his later career. Some are written in rhyme like The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg, others are not. The illustrations are wonderful, even the "old-timey" ones. The stories are fun, both to read and listen to, and long enough to last several sessions. There is usually a simple moral involved. Children 4+ years and up are probably ready for listening and enjoying. These are not "easy readers" to send off with your child, but books to enjoy together. As one of my favorites, I purchased this one as a gift. I already own most of his, and have saved those from my now grown sons. I am eagerly awaiting the time my own grandchildren are old enough to enjoy them. The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg is an excellent one with which to begin. It will delight the imaginations and tickle your funny bones. In addition, children will be exposed to such ideas as taking care of our planet or accepting someone different from ourselves; good lessons for us all to hear again, and in a delightful presentation.

This charming tale of a little Griffin named Zeke is yet another example of Bill Peet's wonderful storytelling abilities. Peet's simple yet clear illustrations are appealing to young and old alike, and his whimsical sense of story that was honed by many years at the Disney Animation studios is on full display here. Not one of his most recognizable titles, but well worth reading.