Eggs of eight different animals are presented with a few carefully selected words ("Sandy ball") paired with the question "What will hatch?" An equally spare answer ("Paddle and crawl - Sea turtle") augments the illustration of the brand-new juvenile. A balanced array of animals goes beyond birds (goldfinch, penguin, and robin) to include a caterpillar, crocodile, platypus, sea turtle, and tadpole. Egg shapes are die-cut, with the page turn cleverly revealing the result of each hatching. A few pages of additional information at the book's end introduce young children to the term "oviparous" and relate egg facts for each species (time in egg, parents' incubation behavior, number of siblings). Simple gouache on wood illustrations, while not always strictly representational, are consistently lovely with a warm palette of gold, green, and brown. (Ages 1-3)

Jelly, jiggly.
What will hatch?
Wiggly, squiggly. . .
tadpole.

What is more exciting than waiting for an egg to hatch? Creatures of all varieties begin inside an egg-and those eggs also come in all shapes and sizes. From a squiggly tadpole to fuzzy robin to a leathery platypus, this charming text and unique illustrations show eight different animals as they begin life. With a cut-out on each page readers will have fun guessing... what will hatch?