Nearly all depicted actual size (and those that aren't, are consistently so labeled), Long's eggs look real enough to pick up, whether placed in natural settings or suspended on white pages. 'Worthy successor to Ruth Heller's Chickens Aren't The Only Ones (1981), this engrossing album pairs images of dozens of precisely detailed eggs and their diverse wild parents to basic facts presented in neatly hand-lettered lines. This attractive volume pleases on both an aesthetic and intellectual level.

Long introduces breathtaking color into the final spreads, as a concluding scene 'hatches from' this peacefulness, reminding readers of an egg's purpose. 'An egg is clever,' in fancy script, for instance, sits alongside examples of camouflage: 'An egg might be speckled to resemble the rocks around it.' The letters' dramatic curlicues mimic curvy grasses and vines dappled with tiny insect eggs. The main text appears in large, flowery cursive, while a smaller printed typeface serves as labels and brief factual captions. For example, a border that resembles a color test pattern runs down the outer edges of a spread of nearly 40 carefully placed 'colorful' examples, set against a white background, which dazzle the eye. Long's ( Sylvia Long's Mother Goose) skilled use of contrast and compositional balance prevent monotony. ' This repetitive rhythm contrasts with the visual variety of the illustrations. In most spreads, different adjectives (colorful, shapely, textured, etc.) complete the sentence, 'An egg is. The narrative then launches into a kind of survey about the characteristics of eggs, which follows a simple format. buried beneath the sand,' Aston ( When You Were Born) begins, as spot illustrations zero in on a hummingbird, emperor penguin and sea turtle, respectively.

It sits there, under its mother's feathers. Like the subject matter it describes, this book packages with understated elegance the substantive matter found within it.

'An exceptionally handsome book.A beautiful guide to the unexpected panoply of 'the egg'.' - School Library Journal Long's illustrations are elegant and simple, and the gallery of eggs, as brilliantly colored and polished as gems, will inspire kids to marvel at animals' variety and beauty.' - Booklist 'The succinct text will draw young fact hounds, particularly fans of Steve Jenkins' Biggest, Strongest, Fastest and his similar titles.

An egg is quiet by dianna aston