Out of the Egg Book

You think you know the tale of the Little Red Hen. You think you know how it ends. But in this story everything changes when the hard-working Red Hen lays a perfect white egg. And out of this egg comes a chick with a mind of her own . . .

Here is a beautiful book with fantastic woodcut prints and lyrical text that turns the tale of the Little Red Hen upside down. In classic fashion, it is the noble Red Hen who does all the work, but Red Hen’s chick, in an arresting and charming manner, chooses not to follow her mother’s tradition of exclusivity.

Children's Literature

The Red Hen in this version of the traditional tale finds a green seed. Neither Fat Cat, nor Dirty Dog, nor Greedy Pig will help with the planting, or the watering, or the weeding, or the sheltering of the growing tree. "Not I," is the repeated refrain. Meanwhile, one spring, under the now large tree, this Red Hen lays a perfect white egg, from which hatches a small red chick. When a little cat, rat, and pig come to ask the Red Hen if they can play under the tree, she turns them away. But her chick says that is "MEAN," so she lets her chick ask them in. After they play together, the Red Hen sends each visitor home with a green seed and her obvious hopes for a better younger generation. The story unfolds on double pages using woodblock prints for the characters and settings. The deep black is brightened with touches of red for the hens and occasional greens. The lazy trio is shown hanging around in a cityscape strewn with garbage, while Red Hen lives in a tidy countryside. Scenes suggest rather than specify, so there is considerable white space; the reader has room to speculate about the moral while appreciating the often unusual esthetic design. Don't miss the end-papers, jacket, and cover.