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The Odd Egg
Each of the birds has an egg ... except for Duck. So when Duck finds a beautiful egg of his own he's delighted -- even though the other birds make fun of it. But everyone's in for a BIG surprise when his egg finally hatches!
The witty text and playful illustrations appear on cleverly designed cut pages that allow the visual jokes to unfold.
The witty text and playful illustrations appear on cleverly designed cut pages that allow the visual jokes to unfold.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
11 people are currently reading
1351 people want to read
About the author
Emily Gravett
79 books278 followersEmily Gravett is twice winner of the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal and the Nestlé Children's Book Prize Bronze Award for WOLVES and LITTLE MOUSE'S BIG BOOK OF FEARS. An author/illustrator of unique talent and tremendous skill, she has a host of critically acclaimed books to her name, including BLUE CHAMELEON, WOLF WON'T BITE! and AGAIN! Emily lives in Brighton with her partner and their daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews
September 10, 2012
Like many infertile women throughout history, hapless Duck suffers from social stigmatization and low self-esteem. Even though the obvious solution, adoption, is emotionally satisfying to her, she continues to suffer the mockery and criticism of her peers, who deride the physical dissimilarities between Duck and her unhatched egg. Although hurt by their treatment, Duck offers the egg unshaken love, doing her best to provide physical and emotional protection.
I would have preferred had the eggs been depicted in a more accurate way. The illustrations were good, but not as strong as in some of Gravett's other books. If you haven't read her before, I would recommend Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears as a better starting point.
I would have preferred had the eggs been depicted in a more accurate way. The illustrations were good, but not as strong as in some of Gravett's other books. If you haven't read her before, I would recommend Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears as a better starting point.
December 8, 2009
Parents: please screen this before reading it to young children!
Ack! I don’t know how to rate this book.
I loved, loved, loved it up until the very last page, starting with the cover. I was completely charmed. It’s sweet, very funny, the different sized pages make for much suspense. Up until the last page it was probably a five star book for me, and certainly a four star book at least.
The illustrations are absolutely adorable, as is most of the story.
The last page: I don’t know what to say. It’s a surprise. I guess what happens is supposed to be funny. I found it horrifying, and I think that some young children could be terrified, or at least scared, by it. Yes, some kids may enjoy it and may laugh out loud.
I didn’t exactly like it. I both loved and hated it. I’ll give it three stars because I don’t know what else to do.
ETA: My copy of the book was from the library and the library cover covered up the picture on the inside back cover of the book. It made everything mostly alright. There's even an opportunity given to teach about imprinting. Anyway, this is almost a 5 star book for me. Wonderful illustrations and story. I upped it a star to a 4 star rating.
Make sure you continue on past the "last" page and read the inside back cover!
Ack! I don’t know how to rate this book.
I loved, loved, loved it up until the very last page, starting with the cover. I was completely charmed. It’s sweet, very funny, the different sized pages make for much suspense. Up until the last page it was probably a five star book for me, and certainly a four star book at least.
The illustrations are absolutely adorable, as is most of the story.
The last page: I don’t know what to say. It’s a surprise. I guess what happens is supposed to be funny. I found it horrifying, and I think that some young children could be terrified, or at least scared, by it. Yes, some kids may enjoy it and may laugh out loud.
I didn’t exactly like it. I both loved and hated it. I’ll give it three stars because I don’t know what else to do.
ETA: My copy of the book was from the library and the library cover covered up the picture on the inside back cover of the book. It made everything mostly alright. There's even an opportunity given to teach about imprinting. Anyway, this is almost a 5 star book for me. Wonderful illustrations and story. I upped it a star to a 4 star rating.
Make sure you continue on past the "last" page and read the inside back cover!
May 20, 2021
All the birds laid an egg except for duck. Then duck found an egg. It was an odd egg. All the eggs hatched but not duck's until creak crack and what comes out is a huge surprise.
I knew I would love this until the last page which I don't know what to make of. The title is great, the front cover is adorable, all the illustrations are cute and the the in-between different shapes/sizes of the pages is absolutely brilliant but that ending was unresolved and odd.
3 stars
I knew I would love this until the last page which I don't know what to make of. The title is great, the front cover is adorable, all the illustrations are cute and the the in-between different shapes/sizes of the pages is absolutely brilliant but that ending was unresolved and odd.
3 stars
May 15, 2021
Part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. For a fuller explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.
Without the opportunity to browse the shelves in the usual way I've been just thinking of an author I like, looking them up at each of my usual sources, and thus, acquiring as many as possible. So now: Emily Gravett.
While reconciling this entry with the one at BookLikes, I happened to catch the first line of someone else's review, which begins "like many infertile women" and I was totally there for a review that engages with the social mores reflected in a children's picture book. I love that shit.
And then I picked up the book and started to read it again for the first time in quite a while. I honestly didn't remember the story and my two sentences weren't revealing.
Page 3
Well.
That was satisfying.
***
19 March 2009
Sweet and funny. The PandaBat guessed, but still really liked it.
Without the opportunity to browse the shelves in the usual way I've been just thinking of an author I like, looking them up at each of my usual sources, and thus, acquiring as many as possible. So now: Emily Gravett.
While reconciling this entry with the one at BookLikes, I happened to catch the first line of someone else's review, which begins "like many infertile women" and I was totally there for a review that engages with the social mores reflected in a children's picture book. I love that shit.
And then I picked up the book and started to read it again for the first time in quite a while. I honestly didn't remember the story and my two sentences weren't revealing.
Page 3
Then duck found an egg!
He thought...
Well.
That was satisfying.
***
19 March 2009
Sweet and funny. The PandaBat guessed, but still really liked it.
September 13, 2019
Named one of the top ten "Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2009" by The New York Times, Emily Gravett's The Odd Egg is a picture-book I've been eager to peruse, all the more so after reading a goodreads friend's review, with its rather cryptic references to the final page of the story. I now know what is on that final page!
But although I was not unduly disturbed by the final narrative sequence, and found Gravett's illustrations adorable, I wasn't quite as charmed by this one, as I had expected to be. Yes, the book was well-designed - think Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar , in which a series of pages, each one wider than the next, follow one another - and yes, the artwork is wonderfully expressive, but the story itself didn't "wow" me. This may be a case of overly high expectations ruining the experience, but although I admired the visuals, I'm going to have to depart from the majority of other reviewers, in finding The Odd Egg average, rather than extraordinary.
But although I was not unduly disturbed by the final narrative sequence, and found Gravett's illustrations adorable, I wasn't quite as charmed by this one, as I had expected to be. Yes, the book was well-designed - think Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar , in which a series of pages, each one wider than the next, follow one another - and yes, the artwork is wonderfully expressive, but the story itself didn't "wow" me. This may be a case of overly high expectations ruining the experience, but although I admired the visuals, I'm going to have to depart from the majority of other reviewers, in finding The Odd Egg average, rather than extraordinary.
December 9, 2009
I thought the idea for this book is really cute--I love how the pictures are so interactive and certain pages are smaller than the others so you see a progression and also a "surprise" with each turn of the page. There's a fun surprise at the end when we see what hatches--although I think sensitive readers might be a bit bothered because it is unclear whether the creature simply frightens the other birds away or perhaps eats them!!!
ETA: My copy was from the library and the illustration inside the back flap was thus covered up. My GoodReads friend Lisa shared with me what happens and it is enough for me to make this a four star book, now as that last illustration seems to clear up that rather dreadful "final" illustration (which wasn't really the final one!) She said: "My copy of the book was from the library and the library cover covered up the picture on the inside back cover of the book. It made everything mostly alright. There's even an opportunity given to teach about imprinting."
ETA: My copy was from the library and the illustration inside the back flap was thus covered up. My GoodReads friend Lisa shared with me what happens and it is enough for me to make this a four star book, now as that last illustration seems to clear up that rather dreadful "final" illustration (which wasn't really the final one!) She said: "My copy of the book was from the library and the library cover covered up the picture on the inside back cover of the book. It made everything mostly alright. There's even an opportunity given to teach about imprinting."
May 28, 2018
Cute, nice illustrations. It's got a humorous story-line.
I didn't like the format so much, though. At one point, when the eggs start to hatch, the pages start out maybe 1 1/2" wide, then spread page by page, until they're once again the width of the book. I can see this being a pain the butt to work with, especially if you're trying to read this with a toddler or smaller child who doesn't want to sit still.
I didn't like the format so much, though. At one point, when the eggs start to hatch, the pages start out maybe 1 1/2" wide, then spread page by page, until they're once again the width of the book. I can see this being a pain the butt to work with, especially if you're trying to read this with a toddler or smaller child who doesn't want to sit still.
January 15, 2015
THAT ENDING!?!?!?!
September 27, 2019
A fun interactive book about being different and the odd one out. The surprise ending was very snappy!
April 16, 2009
I just used this in a preschool story hour, and they asked me to read it twice! It's a simple story about waiting for eggs to hatch, but Gravett adds suspense by the clever use of flaps that conceal what emerges from each egg. The kids loved it! There isn't any higher recommendation than that.
November 3, 2018
I loved this book! Fun and engaging, with interactive covers, this would be a fantastic book to use with KS1. The illustrations are bright and cheerful and the story itself is witty, allowing the children to participate with repeated patterns and rhymes.
April 28, 2016
The Odd Egg reminded me of Pardon Me. I liked the illustrations and the ending was snappy.
:)
:)
January 2, 2021
Rögvest szerelmes lettem a könyvbe a borító és @NannyOgg értékelése alapján (https://moly.hu/ertekelesek/2008388), úgyhogy elrobogtam a telefonomért, megrendeltem, a drága jó Amazon ma reggelre szállította is :)).
Ajánlom mindenkinek, tényleg nagyon jó, csak egyetlen megjegyzésem volna: a liba kacsa, noha őszintén szólva én is libának néztem, de aszongya, hogy nem :)).
Ajánlom mindenkinek, tényleg nagyon jó, csak egyetlen megjegyzésem volna: a liba kacsa, noha őszintén szólva én is libának néztem, de aszongya, hogy nem :)).
January 20, 2021
এক কথায়, দারুণ!
April 30, 2016
What makes an egg odd? Read this book and find out. Written and illustrated by Emily Gravett. I have to say my favourite part of this book is the illustrations. The illustrations are clear yet soft and each page has a good balance, it isn’t over crowded which can take the focus away from the most important parts.
This is the story of a (male) duck waiting to lay an egg, (It is not made clear that the duck is a male in the book) and to his surprise he does not lay an egg. He stumbles upon a giant egg, and waits for it to hatch. All of the other eggs hatch but this one takes the longest. After you wait for the eggs to hatch the ending is quite quick and snappy.
The story might be unsuitable for some of younger audiences (below the age of 3-4), although if you read every single page they should be fine.
This could be read to a young class, although the ending might send a class giddy, so it might be best to be read at home.
Another reviewer mentioned imprinting and this book would serve as a good introduction. Originally I thought they meant embossing, however I later discovered that imprinting was a term for a young animal coming to recognise a different animal as their parent, which could lead on to a discussion / lesson about adoption.
The story is ok, but what I like most are the illustrations and the split pages. Using split pages is a clever way to reveal the next part of the story and illustrations. It also makes the book more visually appealing as it doesn’t follow the traditional method of page sizes.
In summary I give this book 3 stars (3.5 if I could give half stars). I enjoyed the illustrations and the split pages, however I feel the book could have shed a more positive light on imprinting, because the ending is slightly ambiguous.
March 31, 2018
Book Title: The Odd Egg
Author & Illustrator: Emily Gravett
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Copyright: 2008
Genre: Fiction
Guided Reading Level: E
Lexile Measure: AD210L
DRA Level: 8
Grades: PreK-2
Synopsis:
Duck is the only one out of all the birds who does not have an egg to hatch. He is delighted when he finds his own egg to look over. Only thing is, it’s a very odd looking egg covered in green spots, and the other birds think it will never hatch. When it finally does, everyone is in for a big surprise become out comes…a baby crocodile! Filled with cleverly designed split pages that allow the visual jokes to unfold, this beautifully illustrated book is a lot of fun to read. It also has a good message about how everyone is different and the importance of celebrating each person’s uniqueness.
Teaching Ideas:
1) While reading the book aloud to class, the teacher could ask questions about how students think Duck feels when he’s being made fun of, and what they think of how other birds are treating him. After students could draw and color their own egg and write a sentence or two (depending on grade level) about what makes it unique. Students could then share with the class about why they colored the egg in that particular style, and compare/contrast how all the eggs they created are different. This could lead into a discussion about how we’re all different, which is what makes the class special and interesting.
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
Author & Illustrator: Emily Gravett
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Copyright: 2008
Genre: Fiction
Guided Reading Level: E
Lexile Measure: AD210L
DRA Level: 8
Grades: PreK-2
Synopsis:
Duck is the only one out of all the birds who does not have an egg to hatch. He is delighted when he finds his own egg to look over. Only thing is, it’s a very odd looking egg covered in green spots, and the other birds think it will never hatch. When it finally does, everyone is in for a big surprise become out comes…a baby crocodile! Filled with cleverly designed split pages that allow the visual jokes to unfold, this beautifully illustrated book is a lot of fun to read. It also has a good message about how everyone is different and the importance of celebrating each person’s uniqueness.
Teaching Ideas:
1) While reading the book aloud to class, the teacher could ask questions about how students think Duck feels when he’s being made fun of, and what they think of how other birds are treating him. After students could draw and color their own egg and write a sentence or two (depending on grade level) about what makes it unique. Students could then share with the class about why they colored the egg in that particular style, and compare/contrast how all the eggs they created are different. This could lead into a discussion about how we’re all different, which is what makes the class special and interesting.
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
June 27, 2012
The duck is feeling the odd one out as he has not laid an egg when all the other birds had. When Duck finds an egg of his own he's delighted and thinks it's the most beautiful egg in the world. But all the other birds disagree and think it's a very strange egg. The birds wait to see what happens when the egg hatches. The illustrations on the pages clearly show the characters and provide humour throughout the story.
The illustrations and interesting page layout aid the book to revolve around the Duck and his sadness at not having an egg, followed by his delight when he finds one. The book follows the Duck in waiting for his egg to hatch. The book demonstrates patience, diversity, friendship, maternal and paternal instincts and humour. The illustrations aid the book by bringing all the characters to life and adding humour to the surprise ending
What questions or discussion points would you encourage during reading?
What do you think is going to happen? Use the illustrations to guess what will hatch from each egg.
How does duck feel when he is waiting for the egg to hatch?
How do you think Duck felt when the egg hatched?
The illustrations and interesting page layout aid the book to revolve around the Duck and his sadness at not having an egg, followed by his delight when he finds one. The book follows the Duck in waiting for his egg to hatch. The book demonstrates patience, diversity, friendship, maternal and paternal instincts and humour. The illustrations aid the book by bringing all the characters to life and adding humour to the surprise ending
What questions or discussion points would you encourage during reading?
What do you think is going to happen? Use the illustrations to guess what will hatch from each egg.
How does duck feel when he is waiting for the egg to hatch?
How do you think Duck felt when the egg hatched?
September 30, 2013
I loved this picture book. I usually divide picture books into four piles (which sometimes venn-diagram each other) - books I personally love because they appeal to something witty or personally moving for me; books I would purchase for a child (perhaps a nephew) for a gift; books I would read aloud to a class or use for a storytime, and books that I think should be put through a paper shredder. Odd Egg falls into three of those categories. If I were doing a regular storytime, I would try to read it aloud; I would definitely give it to my nephew, and I thought it was really, really cute. Not overly clever - this isn't Mo Willems hipster territory (almost though), and it doesn't have the strange appeal of Barbara McClintock which I adore, where the animals all have people's hands instead of hooves and paws, and which some find disconcerting and I find funny. But I loved the story, I thought the illustrations, which appear to be watercolor or gouache, are soft and beautiful, with some the intricate details I like in picture books. There is a hint of wit ( the baby owl speaks in mathematics as well as owl). A sweetheart of a book!
September 20, 2015
The story is ridiculous. Male ducks do not lay eggs (and would have no expectation to do so). Male ducks do not care for eggs, even those that they fertilized and were laid by their female mates, never mind those found on the ground. Male ducks do not care for the hatchlings, even those that they fertilized and which are being raised by their mates, never mind those that hatched from eggs found on the ground.
Is it so difficult to have an active female character that even when egg-laying and ducks'* egg-care-giving are involved the protagonist must still be male? The book was written well into the 21st Century and we still have to have a male being the 'actor' even when it is so ridiculously in error in the context given?
*in many other species (e.g. geese) the males do help to care for the eggs and young. But NOT with ducks.
Ridiculous book.
Is it so difficult to have an active female character that even when egg-laying and ducks'* egg-care-giving are involved the protagonist must still be male? The book was written well into the 21st Century and we still have to have a male being the 'actor' even when it is so ridiculously in error in the context given?
*in many other species (e.g. geese) the males do help to care for the eggs and young. But NOT with ducks.
Ridiculous book.
August 11, 2015
Duck is dismayed to discover that all the other birds have an egg except him. Imagine his excitement when he finds one!
This is our second Emily Gravett find, and it has a little more variety and story than Orange Pear Apple Bear. It never bothers to explain why a male duck should be expecting to lay an egg in the first place, but the unique page layouts/plot reveals are fun and the payoff is pretty funny (don't miss the final illustration on the inside back cover).
This is our second Emily Gravett find, and it has a little more variety and story than Orange Pear Apple Bear. It never bothers to explain why a male duck should be expecting to lay an egg in the first place, but the unique page layouts/plot reveals are fun and the payoff is pretty funny (don't miss the final illustration on the inside back cover).
July 17, 2019
If I could give this book 10/10 stars, I would. This is possibly the greatest board book I've ever read. Using a similar style to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, flaps gradually increase in size revealing all of the different birds hatching from their eggs, but it isn't until Duck's Odd Egg hatches at the end of the book that you get the biggest surprise of all! Absolutely delightful for readers of all ages.
April 29, 2009
This is a funny story about a male duck who couldn't lay an egg (go figure) and finds a big, spotted one. Everyone teases him and says that it won't hatch, but he has faith that it will. It's a silly story, but the cutout pages are unique and make the story fun to read with children.
August 21, 2017
A fun book about a whole bunch of new bird moms who are proud of their babies--but duck's egg is very odd (she found it). There's a big surprise ending when her egg finally hatches.
Alligators
Birds
Eggs
Alligators
Birds
Eggs
February 4, 2009
I love the format of this book and the illustrations are lovely and clever, but then the ending is just abrupt and not very satisfying for kids.
October 20, 2016
Fantastic & ridiculous; if you like my stuff, then you will like this.
April 5, 2019
The ending of this book surprised me !!!
April 18, 2019
They really liked the end of this one! It's a great surprise about what is in the egg.
November 27, 2022
It's fun, it's cute, it's edgy, it's perfect storytelling for toddlers. I especially enjoyed the way the story ended.
May 29, 2025
How they did the pages were so fun! The 3 year old wanted it read again and again. I think because of that!
A story of a male duck who doesn't have an egg, so he's teased by several lady birds for wanting one. Then, he finds an egg and cares for it. They mock him for this too. Each of their eggs hatch, while his doesn't. They say it never will, but he doesn't give up. Then, at the end, with another fun page, we see what's been inside his egg when it hatches.
A story of a male duck who doesn't have an egg, so he's teased by several lady birds for wanting one. Then, he finds an egg and cares for it. They mock him for this too. Each of their eggs hatch, while his doesn't. They say it never will, but he doesn't give up. Then, at the end, with another fun page, we see what's been inside his egg when it hatches.
October 30, 2019
This is a fun book which I think children would enjoy and find funny with the surprise at the end. It allows children to see that it's okay to be different and a little 'odd'. We see how the duck didn't care what other people think and therefore I think this would be a good book to stimulate discussion with children about how they think about themselves and other people
Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews