In a lush picture book, a hen sits faithfully till her 10 eggs hatch, then proudly shows them to her friends, the other animals. Austrian Reinl's double-spread, batik illustrations are a successful blend of the subtle gradations in intensity of watercolor on textured paper and the stylized, defined forms of Middle European folk art. Lively and colorful, they capture the essence of some of the nursery-school set's favorite animals. By contrast, the text is ordinary. Following the sort of repetitive pattern so successfully employed in a classic like Flack's Ask Mr. Bear, it's adequately told but wordy, lacking both tension and surprise. A pleasant farmyard story, but unexceptional. Useful for spring projects; illustrations large enough for picture-book hour use.