The Children’s Book Review | July 10, 2017
The Egg
Written and Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup
Translated by Kathrin Köller
Age Range: 6+
Publisher: Prestel (2017)
ISBN: 978-3-7913-7294-5
What to Expect: Nature, Animals, Birds, Insects
Who would have thought it would be possible to create a whole book about eggs? Not only is The Egg extensive, it is also beautiful and captivating. There is so much to know about eggs: their sizes, shapes, and colors, the different creatures who lay them and who hatch out of them, their scientific composition, the nests they nestle in, and even the different customs and myths pertaining to them. Britta Teckentrup’s captivating picture book captures it all.
With its beautiful, textural illustrations, The Egg reminds me of the Richard Scarry books I used to love so much as a child. With soft colors and many abstract elements, these images nevertheless manage to convey the complexity of eggs in breathtaking detail. Younger readers will enjoy these elements by themselves, but for older and more demanding naturalists there are delights such as a numbered diagram showing the inside of an egg, fact files describing the different colors of particular birds’ eggs, and an egg-size comparison chart. Narrative nestles side-by-side with fact, and the overall effect is comprehensive and engaging. This book is an excellent way to show young readers that science is not necessarily incompatible with art, beauty, story, and culture.
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About Britta Teckentrup
Britta Teckentrup is the author and illustrator of many adored children’s books, including the bestselling The Memory Tree, The Odd One Out, and Grumpy Cat, along with Before I Wake Up… and Oskar Loves… (both by Prestel). Her most recent book on weather phenomena was nominated for Germany’s most prestigious children’s book award. She lives and works in Berlin.
The Egg, by Britta Teckentrup, was reviewed by Dr. Jen Harrison. Discover more books like The Egg by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Animals, Birds, Insects, Nature, Non-Fiction, and Science.
