Back when my son was a toddler, we read THE GREAT FUZZ FRENZY, a story about a golden retriever who drops a ball down a prairie dog hole. Oh my, that was a favorite in our house for years. And now, another book by the Stevens sisters has landed on my desk.
Illustrations/text ⓒ Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
First a look at the starring cast:
Illustrations/text ⓒ Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
You can see the type of humor we’re in for: the blanket has a checkered past.
At the start of the story, bear is snoozing away, but that sly fox stands just within view on the horizon.
Illustrations/text ⓒ Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
That fox is up to no good.
Illustrations/text ⓒ Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
Fox tells bear he’s got just the thing that he needs to make his wretched farm “mighty fine.”
“What thing?” growls bear.
Illustrations/text ⓒ Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
Why a donkey, of course. Trouble is, it hasn’t hatched yet.
I don’t think there’s a child alive who won’t want to see where this story goes.
Fox explains that just like a bird on a nest, bear must keep that egg warm, safe, and happy. He cautions that it will take time for this donkey to hatch—
“minutes, hours, days, weeks, months—so be patient.”
Here is where the authors added a brilliant layer to this tale, a layer of nonfiction. Fox gives examples of animals that really do hatch from eggs. Along with the statement:
“And DONKEYS! It’s the truth!”
As bear works to keep the egg warm, safe, and happy, the reader gets a lovely repetitive phrase:
Tickety-tock.
Clickety-clock.
Minutes passed. (hours, days, weeks)
No donkey.
AND the reader gets a lesson in time equivalencies, including how many seconds make a minute, minutes make hours, hours make days, and days make weeks. We learn time-based facts anywhere from the amount of time it takes to sneeze, to how long it takes an ice cream cone to melt in hot weather, to the time it takes a spider to spin a web, to the time it takes the human body to shed 7 million skin cells.
Plus one dubious fact about the number of times kids laugh in a day versus adults. But I’ll cut the authors some slack there. Kids will love the difference.
Now, while bear is busy with that egg, his buddy hare keeps racing by (in his bid to beat the tortoise), checking in to see how things are going. So when the egg finally rolls away from the exhausted, caretaking bear, hare plays a major role in the surprise at the end of that egg roll.
I must admit I laughed out loud.
But dontcha know, that ol’ bear ends up getting the best of fox. I won’t tell you how. You’ll have to read the book and see for yourself.
Activities:
Using the timer on a cell phone or a watch, test how long it takes a scoop of ice cream to melt in the sun versus the shade. OR eat both before they melt. How long did that take? Repeat this experiment many times.
Buy a watermelon and eat it. Don’t try to make it hatch. No one wants to eat a rotten watermelon.
Plant different seeds in the garden or a pot. Watch to see how long they take to germinate. Do they all take the same amount of time? Do big seeds take longer? Does it depend on how thick the seed’s coating is? Or how wet and warm the soil is?
Title: The Donkey Egg
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Janet Stevens + Susan Stevens Crummel
Publisher: Houghton, 2019
Ages: Preschool to 3rd grade
Themes: Time, eggs, tricksters
For more recommendations for perfect picture books, visit Susanna Hill’s blog.
Jilanne Hoffmann 
This sounds hilarious, but multi-layered. I love how the authors sprinkled in some Fake Facts, too.
Now that I think about it, this would be a great book to use for having the conversation about facts vs fake facts.
This look hysterical! Can’t wait to pick it up from my library. Always love the Steven’s stories and illustrations.
I missed their Tops & Bottoms. It was published long before I was even thinking about children and picture books. Am going back to find it.
Aw! I wanted the big reveal! C’mon, I want the spoiler!
Nope! Not gonna happen. Not on my watch.
It’s been proven that people enjoy movies more when they know the spoilers in advance. So, technically, you’re robbing me of maximum fun!
This assertion comes with no citations. Not buying it. If what you say is true, then you may have maximum fun on subsequent reads. I won’t be robbing you of anything. Good try with the guilting, though….
Oh poop.
This book does indeed look hysterical. I can’t wait to discover that “mysterious,” not to be shared, ending. Guilting never (rarely works), should have tried Chocolate! Thanks Jilanne!
I would love to have a sibling to share the joy of making picture books, like these two do, but alas, I must go it alone. Clearly, the Stevens authors/illustrators have a terrific (and successful) relationship!
And yes, chocolate is a much better offering at the altar of spoilers.
Okay, I CAN’T WAIT to get a hold of this book. If it’s not in my library I’ll be forced to buy it:)
Thank you!
You will love it. That’s my prediction. Yes!
I can’t wait to read this – I love trickster stories. And what better than pretending a watermelon is a donkey egg! Thanks for sharing the story and your activities.
It’s great fun. I think you’ll enjoy it!
What a fun book to read to children — lots of chuckles! I think my niece would love this!
Yes! The humor is really well done, and the illustrators add so much to the story, especially the “surprise” spread.