The Strange Egg (Hardcover)

by Mary Newell DePalma (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
DePalma's (Giraffes Aren't Half as Fat) mixed-media illustrations add a quirky, postmodern flair to this tale of an unlikely friendship. Spying a round orange curiosity on the ground, a little bird determines that it is an egg and sits on it. A monkey laughs at her, takes it from her and, to her horror, proceeds to peel it. The monkey explains that this is not an egg but an orange, which he then shares with her. The bird in turn teaches the monkey a new trick when she plants one of the seeds, which they water and tend together, eventually yielding "many, many oranges." Just two dozen sentences sketch the tale, but DePalma's carefully chosen words vividly evoke each scene (the bird "peeked, pecked, poked, and lightly pat-pat-patted;" "They slurped, munched, squirted, crunched, and spit out the seeds"). Her artwork relies on a streamlined palette comprised largely of green, blue, orange and touches of black. Spare, piquant images float on pillows of airy white space; scraps of newsprint and maps add textural interest; and whimsical perspectives reinforce the humorous elements, as in an aerial shot of the bird perched on the orange, spindly legs splayed out as the monkey looks on, only the curl of his tail visible. This offbeat riff on the joys of the unexpected as well as the give-and-take of friendship is eggs-actly right. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-This multilayered story starts out very simply. A small, black bird finds a round, orange egg and tries to open it. She pecks at it, squawks at it, and finally sits on it. A nearby monkey watching her knows what the "egg" really is, and uses his fingers to peel it. After they share the orange, the bird uses her beak to plant the seeds, beginning the whole cycle again. The plot is deceptive in its simplicity, and yet it underlines issues important to children: cooperation, friendship, using your individual talents, cause and effect, and nature. The mixed-media illustrations are as unique as the plot. The perspectives vary-first readers are looking at the whole scene, then examining the orange through the bird's or monkey's eyes. Text is scattered throughout the pages-sometimes below the delicate snippets of art, sometimes centered on its own page. The text is simply constructed: one or two lines per page, with vocabulary that is easy enough for beginning readers. An endearing story for young readers and listeners.-Susan Marie Pitard, formerly at Weezie Library for Children, Nantucket Atheneum, MA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (March 26, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618095071
• ISBN-13: 978-0618095070
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,220,648 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Strange Egg, May 28, 2002

By	Meredith Bullington (Clemson, SC USA) - See all my reviews

In Mary Newell DePalma's book The Strange Egg, a high-flying little bird spots a beautiful object below that she believes to be an egg. She attempts to hatch the egg until a monkey begins to laugh at the little bird, telling her that her "egg" is actually an orange. They enjoy the juicy orange together, and when the orange is gone, the little bird plants an orange seed and nurtures the seed until it becomes a fruitful tree. Now the new friends will be able to enjoy many more juicy oranges together.
The Strange Egg blends wonderful illustrations with a delightful plot to create a picture book that is no less than charming. Text excerpts and single letters add a sense of whimsy to the life-like appearance of the vibrantly colored illustrations. DePalma adds variety to the book by stacking the text and illustrations down the page instead of always having them proceed from left to right. And on each page, the illustrations appear in different sizes, in different places, and in varying numbers, which gives each page a unique format, in terms of the amount of white space or color, and in the amount of text and illustrations. The delightful feeling created through the enchanting illustrations and the whimsical plot surely comprise the best part of this picture book.

DePalma, Mary Newell. The Strange Egg. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001