Review by Booklist Review
This attractive volume looks at animals that lay eggs, the qualities of those eggs, and how the parents protect, package, carry, and incubate them. Presented on two-page and four-page spreads, each topic begins with a brief discussion, several pictures showing different species, and informative captions. This approach offers a sense of the many, varied, and sometimes surprising ways that species have developed to deal with common issues. For example, where do they lay their eggs? Yes, a nest (cowbird) is one option. But so is a bare branch (white tern), water (horned starfish), a carnivorous pitcher plant (black-spotted sticky frog), or a spider's abdomen (spider wasp). Near the end of the book, parallel panels of illustrations show a chicken and an alligator developing inside their respective eggs. Created from cut and torn papers with interesting coloration and textures, Jenkins' distinctive illustrations show up well against the white backgrounds. This intriguing presentation will be an asset to many kindergarten and primary-grade classes.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Jenkins and Page present a collection of facts about animals and their eggs. The layout is divided into spreads that present a different topic ("Where should I lay my eggs?" "Egg Packaging") in an introductory paragraph. That's followed by several examples ("Incubation" describes the male emperor penguin, which keeps eggs warm in a brood pouch), accompanied by beautiful illustrations rendered in Jenkins's trademark cut-and-torn paper collages, scattered across the page, leaving the copious amount of white space characteristic of this team's style. Some cases tend toward the grotesque (readers learn that the spider wasp stings a spider, lays her eggs on its body, and leaves it as food for her hatchlings), but all are presented in a purely scientific, factual tone. A diagram at the beginning of the book gives readers a look at the actual sizes of different eggs (a tarantula's, a leopard frog's, a scorpion fish's). The work concludes with cross-sectional diagrams of chicken and alligator eggs, showing the interior at different stages of development. There's also a list of very brief facts about each of the animals pictured. VERDICT Like Jenkins and Page's other works, this delightful purchase combines big, bold illustrations with intriguing science. A solid addition to the 590s.-Jill Ratzan, I. L. Peretz Community Jewish School, Somerset, NJ © Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Brief, clear paragraphs introduce each section of this exposition of "Nature's Perfect Package," including "Egg Layers," "Egg Eaters," and "Incubation." Attention to details such as scale and color inform the labeled torn- and cut-paper collage illustrations; captions are focused, helpful, and interesting. A final double-spread compares the internal development of a chicken and an alligator egg. Additional species facts appended. Reading list. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
With their characteristic design and choice of intriguing details, this prolific author-illustrator pair introduces "nature's perfect package": the egg.An egg-shaped introduction encapsulates the main ideas of this latest offering in a series of titles exploring nature's wonders. Almost every animal begins life in an egg. Some, like human eggs, are nurtured internally, but many more develop outside. Eggs come in an astonishing variety of shapes, sizes, colors and numbers and are tended to in myriad ways or simply strewn, developing on their own. All contain what's necessary to form and nurture the new creature. Spread by spread readers learn about the range of egg layers, egg sizes, how many are lain and where, egg eaters, egg protection, packaging, carrying, incubation and emergence. A final spread looks inside the eggs of a chicken and alligator as each creature develops over time, in five stages from embryo to hatchling. Text in the upper-left corner of each spread presents the topic. Realistic torn- and cut-paper images set on a plain white background are identified and explained in short paragraphs. The backmatter includes thumbnails and further information about the 54 egg-laying creatures picturedfrom slugs and simple animals through insects, spiders, fish, amphibians and birds, plus two mammals (the mongoose and the platypus). Appealing, accessible and accurate, this is another admirable creation. (additional reading) (Informational picture book. 4-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
