The Emperor Lays an Egg

The Emperor Lays an Egg This book about the amazing story of Emperor Penguins - including how the father cares for the egg and young hatchling alone throughout the Antarctic winter - goes further than most other books on this topic for children. This book is appropriate for older rather than younger children, since it is a very long read. However, the length of the story allows for far more detail on this fascinating topic, including how penguin fathers work together to help each other keep the eggs warm.

THE EMPEROR LAYS AN EGG is one of the most fact-filled books directed towards young children that I have come across. The book begins with a mother emperor penguin laying an egg and then goes on to explain how the egg is taken care of (mostly by the father), how the chick hatches, and how it grows until it becomes an adult. And the illustration appeal to children, containing a lot of blues that calm the nerves. I have just two criticims about the book. First, the book has so much information that younger readers will be overwhelmed. Much of the material will be far too confusing for a 1st grade reader. Most children won't be able to read all the material until they are in 2nd grade, but the book is marketed towards those in 1st grade and younger. Also, the illustrations, though peaceful, are kind of dull; the lack vibrance and vitality. Nevertheless, the book can be read to younger children and they will enjoy flipping through the pages looking at the pictures. THE EMPEROR LAYS AN EGG is a great non-fiction text to read to young children and a great gift for any child who likes penguins.

This is a wonderful fact-filled book that will appeal to toddlers and their older siblings as well. There are surprising facts: The father's instinct to balance an egg on his feet away from the snow is so strong, that "one emperor who doesn't have an egg shuffles around with a chunk of ice about the size of a softball." It's nice that both mother and father penguins get their due as hard-working parents. The mother must travel "waddle, waddle" ninety miles to the open sea (at less than one mile an hour) to get food after the egg is hatched. If lucky, she may find a "field of slick ice, and toboggan on her white belly to speed up the four-day trip. Swoosh! Swoosh!" (The author has a lot of fun with verbs!). The father stays with the egg for over two months in temperatures as low as -60 degrees F., and loses half of his body weight.Some passages are longer and more complex than others, although in some way this widens the book's appeal. The pictures are boldly colorful and uncluttered (made from hand painted paper shaped formed into collages), my only complaint is that some there are too many pages of static penguins. True, this is the frozen North, but in other sections of the book there is more detail and action. Replete with interesting penguin facts and bright, friendly pictures, this is an excellent combination picture book/fact book.

"In late May, as an icy winter wind blows across Antarctica, a mother emperor penguin lays an egg. Plop! To keep the egg from freezing, she catches it on her feet and covers it with a flap of skin..." So begins Brenda Guiberson's fascinating and engaging story of life and survival in the coldest place on Earth. Mother and Father penguin take turns eating, traveling on a harrowing journey ninety miles or more to an opening in the Arctic ice to feed. Their mate is left behind, standing still for months to care for the egg and eventually the fluffy little chick, in the worst of winter. Finally as the short summer begins, the baby chick leaves his parents' feet, grows black and white waterproof feathers, and learns to swim and feed on its own. Soon the winter will come, the ocean will freeze, and the emperor penguins will return to their mating grounds to begin the process again..... Ms Guiberson's easy to read and well researched text is chock full of detail, interesting facts, drama, and even appropriate sound effects, and is enhanced by Joan Paley's captivating artwork. Together word and art paint a marvelous and intriguing portrait of the life cycle of the emperor penguin. Perfect for youngsters 5 and older, The Emperor Lays An Egg is non-fiction at its very best, and a treasure of a book that definitely shouldn't be missed.