Last One in Is a Rotten Egg

by Leonard Kessler

While his friends jump and dive and race in the pool, Freddy is left alone on the side. If he doesn't learn to swim, he will always be the rotten egg. Available for the first time in full color, this engaging I Can Read Book is perfect for beginning readers and swimmers of every level.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Childrens, Spanish Literature

64 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 1969

About the author

Leonard Kessler was an American children’s book author and illustrator and centenarian.
Kessler was born in Akron, Ohio and grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He served in the United States Army during World War II and was stationed in Europe. Kessler received his bachelor's degree in fine arts from Carnegie Mellon University in 1949. Kessler moved with his wife and family to New York City, New York and then they moved to New City, New York. Kessler wrote and illustrated books for young readers.

Reviews

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute friendship story about Freddy who isn't a very good swimmer. After a couple of bullies push him in the deep water at the local pool. Can his friends Bobby and Willie help him return to the pool and become a better swimmer?

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willie, Bobby and Freddy head to their community pool one hot summer day in this beginning reader from author/illustrator Leonard Kessler. While Willie and Bobby are accomplished swimmers, Freddy is just beginning, and is not allowed into the deep end of the pool. When he is pushed in by two older bullies, he has a frightening experience, and is rescued from drowning by the pool lifeguard. Although this causes some initial reluctance on his part to return to the pool, eventually Freddy does go back, learning to swim from Tom the lifeguard, and standing up to the bullies who pushed him into the pool...

Originally published in 1969, Last One In Is a Rotten Egg is a book that I owned as a young girl, and that I have fond memories of reading. The simple text is paired with engaging artwork in color, and the book as a whole explores some important themes, from water safety to conquering one's fears, not to mention the importance of confronting bullies. Although it's not something I recall remarking upon as a girl, rereading this as an adult I am struck by the interracial friendship of Euro-Americans Freddy and Bobby with African-American Willie, and that this is simply not commented upon in the text. Given that the book was created and published in the 1960s, a few short years after swimming pools were desegregated by law, it's difficult not to think that this was a deliberate choice on Kessler's part, and perhaps a statement. The two girls who challenge Willie and Bobby to a race, at one point, are also diverse - one African-American, the other either Euro-American or Latino.

This book provided an enjoyable reread for me, and I would recommend it to beginning readers looking for enjoyable summer stories, or tales featuring swimming and/or addressing bullying.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy this book more than I did. I love any children's book that takes place around a pool or a beach, anything water related. This story is about Freddy who goes with his two friends to the local community pool, but while Freddy's pals are able to go into the deep end, it is soon discovered that Freddy himself cannot swim. One thing I found odd about this book was that the lifeguard always had his shirt on, even when he was in the water. Anyway, I love old 1960s artwork and all, but the story didn't feel like it had the glue it needed to make it great. Still, what it does have is old-time illustrations, and a diverse cast of characters. Black and white children played together in a public pool in the 1960s. I dug the inclusion. My rating - 3/5

[retrieverfever · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok pretty sappy kindergarden book

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/27/18 Read with Julia & Simon

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some boys go to the pool, but Freddy can't go in the deep water because he doesn't know how to swim. Some older boys pick on him and push him into the pool. A nice story with a happy ending.

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy Read: Nice, Simple Book. Talks about fears with swimming and overcoming that.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad at all. I'll be reading this book to five preschoolers next week and was feeling a bit...unsure of the book choice. The illustrations are good (I'm no artist) but I've seen more engaging ones. The story is very, very good. Simple and easy to relate to as a smaller boy gets pushed into a pool by bigger kids who think bullying is awesome (um, no, it's obviously not), and then how the boy pushed through his fear and overcame his obstacle. Loved it.

[Alita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book becuase it is about swimming and I like swimming. I like that Freddy finaly learned how to swim in deep water becuase I learned to swim in deep water like him. I would reccommded this book to anyone who likes swimming.

[Lajune Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute story for children. This book could be used to read to a child who cannot swim or is afraid of the water. It may help them feel better and more comfortable about playing in the water and being with their friends. It is a great read and I really enjoyed it.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mommy found a 1969 version of this book at Goodwill and I have made her read it to me every night since.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt the boy who couldn't swim in deep water. I would like to learn to swim like he did.

[Flower · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a boy who don't know how to swim in the deep-end and the life-gard teaches him how to swim.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to teach the kids rules of the pool. It teaches that practice will help learn to swim. There are big bullies in the book and it will show kids that it is not nice to bully.

[Partridge Public]

Kessler, Leonard PB

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like the boy who couldn't swim in the deep water. I want to learn to swim like he did.