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The Odd EggEmily Gravett
The Odd Egg
by Emily Gravett
Every bird has an egg except Duck, who finds an enormous spotty one and sits on it much longer than anybody else has to.
A story about animals, funny and gentle in tone. We would put it with children of 3–5, and at a reading age of about 4 for reading alone.
Nothing flagged
We have not flagged any content in this one that a parent would usually want warning about.
Our take on this book
All the birds have laid an egg except Duck — until he finds one of his own, an enormous, gorgeously spotted egg he is terribly proud of, even as the other birds scoff and wait to see what on earth will hatch from it. Emma Gravett's picture book builds beautifully to its surprise, with clever stepped pages that let a child watch the other eggs crack open before Duck's finally, spectacularly, does — revealing something the reader may just have guessed. The humour is warm and the design is inventive, with nothing to trouble anyone. For a three- to six-year-old it is a delightful read-aloud with a genuine comic payoff, and the pride Duck takes in his odd egg gives it a lovely gentle heart. Gravett is one of the most inventive picture-book makers around, and this is a perfect example of how she turns the simple physical book into part of the joke, with a punchline small children adore.
If they like this, try these
Chosen by matching age, reading age, tone and subject — not by what is selling.
Mr Gumpy's OutingJohn Burningham
Shh! We Have a PlanChris Haughton
The Very Hungry CaterpillarEric Carle
Handa's SurpriseEileen Browne
TidyEmily Gravett
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?Bill Martin Jr
Or let them write their own.
Nothing gets a child reading like a story they invented themselves. Your child plans the characters and the plot, and we write, illustrate and print it as a real book with their name on the cover as the author.
Find another book
Tell us the age, the reading age and what they like, and we will suggest a handful.