Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown and Leonard Weisgard


This book is gorgeously illustrated with a simple, straight forward story line. Margaret Wise Brown only actively published books for 15 years (before she died of a complication from an appendectomy), but she left a major mark on the world of children's literature. Her simple, often poetical words, conveyed an entire worldview in a few short sentences. Her stories are often permeated with coziness, security, and a child like fascination with the natural world.

Margaret Wise Brown books are good ones to keep around.


See all those lovely signs of spring? 


Once a little bunny found an egg. He was consumed with curiosity about what was in the egg. 



There were so many interesting possibilities for the occupant of the egg that the bunny simply had to know what was in it. 


He listens, he shakes. No clue.


He kicks, he jumps, he throws nuts. Nada.


He gets more insistent. He pushes it down a hill and throws rocks at it. 

Although modern sensibilites are a little shocked at bunny's violence to the poor egg, to a child, this is perfectly normal. How does bunny (or a child) know what would harm some object? They find out through trial and error. So children are not concerned with bunny getting a little rude. 


And then...! It makes a noise! So exciting!


But.... the slightly noisy egg continues to sit and bunny gets sleepy. 


Finally, we see what was in the egg. But does Bunny? No sir-ee! He is snoozing.

Duck is intrigued.


The duck kicks at the bunny. 
Nothing.


He jumps on the bunny, throws a little rock, and rolls him down the hill.


Ba-zinga! The bunny awakes. 

"Where is my egg?" said the bunny. "And where did you come from?"
"Never mind that," said the duck. "Here I am." 


Adorable friendship. 

Kids love the symmetry and sense of fairness in this book. Bunny behaves a bit badly to poor duck-in-egg, but duck-out-of-egg gets a little of his own back, 

Then they can be friends. 

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