The past couple of months, eggs enjoyed their fifteen minutes of fame. A photo of an egg broke the world record for the number of likes on Instagram with more than 53.5 million likes. People learned that the Duggars, that large and very-opinionated family, renamed deviled eggs “yellow pocket angel eggs.” This revelation caused my family alone to debate whether deviled eggs are just sinfully good or simply misunderstood, delicious egg mash. Finally, if you live in my house, a dozen hard boiled eggs were beautifully dyed over Memorial Day Weekend because we simply forgot to do this before Easter.
Children’s books, as well, abound with eggs. Below, find 10 picture books about the incredible, eggcellent egg.
Eggcelent Fiction Books About Eggs
1. After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) by Dan Santat
This is the book that inspired this list because I had to tell more people about it! This book follows Humpty Dumpty after his stay at the King’s Men Hospital. It answers the question “Why was Humpty Dumpty sitting on that wall?” It also shows that Humpty is a much more complex and inspiring character than simply an egg who cracked when he fell off of a wall. This is a great book for anyone who needs some motivation to continue following his or her dreams!
2. Rechenka’s Eggs by Patricia Polacco
Babushka is well known for her intricately decorated Easter Eggs. Every year, she blows out the egg yokes, decorates her eggs, and brings them to the festival in Moskva. One year, Babushka finds a goose who has been shot by hunters. She takes the goose into her home and names her Rechenka. When Rechenka becomes excited and knocks over Babushka’s eggs, Babushka believes that her chances for showing her eggs in Moskva are over. Then, Rechenka helps Babushka in a miraculous way.
3. Guji Guji by Chin-Yuan Chen
The story begins as Mother Duck sits near her nest reading a book. She is so engrossed in the book, as mothers should be, that she does not notice a large egg rolling down the hill and wedging itself in her nest. When the eggs hatch, one duckling is larger and stronger than the others. Mother Duck takes him under wing, calls him Guji Guji, and loves him the same as her other ducklings. When three crocodiles emerge from the pond, will Guji Guji realize that he is actually one of them or will he be his true self and remain a duckling? This is a wonderful story about identity and accepting the differences in others.
4. Egg by Kevin Henkes
On the first page, Kevin Henkes shows his readers four eggs in four different boxes. On the second page, three eggs hatch while one does not. Three birds fly away while the fourth egg remains intact. It is waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting… The three birds return and listen to the egg. A big surprise and a new friend await the three birds, if they can just be patient and wait for the egg to hatch. This is a simple book that shows the value of waiting, friendship, and that things are not always what they seem.
5. On My Way to Buy Eggs by Chih-Yuan Chen
Shau-yu wants to go out and play, but her father sends her on an errand first to buy eggs from the store. Eggs are simple and running this quick errand should be simple, too. Shau-yu, though, like most children, can find adventure where ever she goes. This enchanting book tells about all the things that she finds, sees, and pretends while walking to the store.
6. Peep and Egg: I’m Not Hatching by Laura Gehl
Peep has a problem. Her best friend, Egg, simply will not hatch. Peep explains all of the things that they can do once her reluctant friend hatches. They can watch the sunrise, play hide-and-seek, and splash in puddles. Egg is too scared to do any of these things. Her egg is a safe place to be. How will Peep finally convince Egg to join her? This is an adorable read and has a good lesson for little readers who are hesitant to try new things.
Egghilerating NonFiction Books
7. Guess What is Growing Inside This Egg by Mia Posada
Animal babies hatch everywhere. Can you guess what is inside each egg? Mia Posada shows young readers an egg and then provides clues in a simple rhyme. After guessing the animal, little ones are presented with more facts about the eggs and the animal’s offspring. This is a lively and fun introduction to oviparous animals.
8. An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston
This book introduces children to many different colors, shapes, and types of eggs through watercolor paintings and lyrical descriptions. As an adult, I have learned so many new facts from sharing this book with young readers. It is a beautiful book to explore page by page, marveling at the beauty, colors, and diversity in nature.
9. Chickens Aren’t The Only Ones by Ruth Heller
Most small children only see chicken eggs in their daily lives. In this rhyming book, Ruth Heller informs children that chickens aren’t the only ones who lay eggs. Octopuses, snakes, frogs, and even dinosaurs are all oviparous animals. Colorful illustrations complete this simple but fact driven book for little biologists.
10. Egg: Nature’s Perfect Package by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Eggs are fascinating, if you really stop to think about them. In such a small parcel, life begins for many creatures. This book shows that eggs provide the perfect homes for the animals that grow inside. Whether the eggs are big, microscopic, hard, soft, left by their parents, or carried around and protected, all eggs are designed to provide life.
Last egg pun, I promise. I hope you are able to find some eggchanting and eggriching books from this list for your little eggheads.
Did this post make you hungry? Here is another delicious post full of children’s books about food. Need more oviparous animals in your life? Try this one, too, about some awesome female chicks!
