THREE HENS, A PEACOCK, AND THE ENORMOUS EGG

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THREE HENS, A PEACOCK, AND THE ENORMOUS EGG

Name: THREE HENS, A PEACOCK, AND THE ENORMOUS EGG
Author: Lester L. Laminack
ISBN: 978-1-68263-374-8

by Lester L. Laminack ; illustrated by Henry Cole ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 7, 2023

An out-of-nowhere conclusion will confound youngsters eager for a story of farmyard fun.

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Farm life will never be the same.

In this follow-up to Three Hens and a Peacock (2011), a truck passing the Tuckers’ farm accidentally drops a crate containing the titular enormous egg. Three hens—Mildred, Martha, and Mabel—investigate alongside the farm’s old hound and a peacock. None of the chickens are large enough to sit on the egg to keep it warm, so a schedule is made in which the old hound keeps the egg warm during the day and the three hens team up with the peacock to keep it warm at night. All the while, they try to imagine what could be inside. The egg finally hatches to reveal what appears to be an ostrich (though it’s never identified as such by the text). The farm doesn’t go back to normal, because, as revealed on the endpapers, the light-skinned Tuckers also had a baby. The end. Wait...what? For all the buildup of the egg, the chick gets only a few lines of attention before the book concludes and we see the animals abruptly shift focus to the Tuckers, who are admiring a bundle in a crib. Though Cole’s acrylic, oil, and colored pencil illustrations depict a cozy farm setting, the animal inhabitants making for an expressive crew, readers will be mystified by the sudden swerve and stop, so much so that keenly sensed caregivers may actually hear the squealing of brakes when the final pages are reached. It’s an odd, hindered ending to what started out as an interesting tale. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An out-of-nowhere conclusion will confound youngsters eager for a story of farmyard fun. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-68263-374-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Peachtree

Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE KING OF BEES
by Lester L. Laminack ; illustrated by Jim LaMarche

- BOOK REVIEW
THREE HENS AND A PEACOCK
by Lester L. Laminack & illustrated by Henry Cole

- BOOK REVIEW
SNOW DAY!
by Lester L. Laminack & illustrated by Adam Gustavson

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ADDIE ANT GOES ON AN ADVENTURE

by Maren Morris & Karina Argow ; illustrated by Kelly Anne Dalton ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 9, 2024

Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade.

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An ant explores her world.

Addie Ant’s ready for adventure. Despite some trepidation about leaving the Tomato Bed, where she lives with her aunt, she plucks up her courage and ventures forth across the garden to the far side of the shed. On her journey, she meets her pal Lewis Ladybug, who greets her warmly, points the way, and offers sage advice. When Addie arrives at her destination, she’s welcomed by lovely Beatrix Butterfly and enjoys an “ant-tastic” helping of watermelon. Beatrix also provides Addie with take-home treats and a map for the “Cricket Express,” which will take her straight home. Arriving at the terminal, Addie’s delighted to meet another friend, Cleo Cricket, whose carriage service returns Addie home in “two hops.” After eating a warm tomato soup dinner, Addie falls asleep and dreams of future exploits. Adorable though not terribly original, this story brims with sensuous pleasures, both textual and visual. Kids who declare that they dislike fruits or veggies may find their mouths watering at the mentions and sights of luscious tomatoes, peas, beans, watermelons, berries, and other foodstuffs; insect-averse readers may likewise think differently after encountering these convivial, wide-eyed characters. And those flowers and herbs everywhere! The highlights are the colors that burst from the pages. Addie’s an endearing, empowering character who reassures children they’ll be able to take those first independent steps successfully.

Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade. (author’s note about ants) (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 9, 2024

ISBN: 9781797228914

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)