Have you ever found an egg in your backyard? Do you want to find out more about eggs and the creatures they protect within them?
An Egg is Quiet, illustrated by Sylvia Long and written by Dianna Aston, portrays the life of an egg and all of its many characteristics. The book describes not just one type of egg, but an array of animal eggs and reflects on their unique differences while reminding the reader of their similarities. The depictions of the eggs themselves in the beautiful water color illustrations are ideal in learning sizes and shapes and textures of each individual egg. Every egg is always labeled so that the reader knows which creature is waiting inside the egg until the time that the egg breaks and is no longer “quiet”.
We even find out why eggs have the shapes, colors and textures they do. It is because they need them to survive. They blend in or use “camouflage”. In this quotation from the book, we find out where the egg lives and why its shape is important.
“Sea turtles dig a hole in the sand and lay up to 200 soft, round eggs. Round eggs fit together nicely in tight spaces.”
At the end of the book, there are diagrams showing the different stages of growth inside the egg. We find out how the egg takes care of the creature inside it. Finally, the creature hatches and the last page depicts colorful pictures of the animals that spring from their egg homes.
Curriculum Connections
This book may help a child understand the life cycle of animals and how these offspring are different from what the mother looks like at first(K.6). Children can also learn that a creature has needs, even within the egg, in order to grow(1.4). Children will learn about the physical characteristics animals needs to survive(1.5) and how camouflage works (3.4). Finally, children can investigate changes in the life cycle (2.4).
Additional Resources
- Here are some activities and different ways of teaching the information presented in this book.
- This lesson plan helps kids learn about eggs.
- A step by step guide for hatching your own eggs!
Book: An Egg is Quiet
Author: Dianna Aston
Illustrator: Sylvia Long
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 26 pages
Grades: K-2
ISBN: 0-8118-4428-5