Hattie Peck’s story is full of eggs that have been laid by all kinds of creatures! We love Hattie, she’s a determined, kind hearted heroine who turns her own heartbreak around when she goes out into the big wide world to rescue abandoned eggs.
The Story: Hattie Peck has only ever laid one egg which has never hatched so she decides to leave her coop to collect abandoned eggs. Her journey is long but successful and Hattie returns home to wait for her eggs to hatch. But what exactly will come out of each egg?
Hattie Peck is obsessed with eggs and her obsession leads her to undertake an eventful journey. The journey takes her into the air, under the ground and she even dives in the ocean! We’re impressed by her determination and also her patience while waiting for the eggs to hatch. Hattie is a very independent hen who is not daunted by weather or heights and we love some of the ‘unhenlike’ behaviour which is shown in the illustrations.
The text is simple and easy to read, it’s great for a beginner reader. Emma Levey’s beautiful illustrations are bold and full of colour, often on a predominantly white background. It’s really difficult to choose our favourites, we love the illustration of Hattie diving under the sea (complete with snorkel and googles!) and we spend lots of time poring over the final spread which shows Hattie knitting for all the different birds and animals that have hatched.
This would be a fabulous story to read in an Early Years classroom during an animal topic and can stimulate lots of discussion about which creatures come out of an egg. There was a surprise for us in the story as we didn’t know that a duck billed platypus hatches out of an egg! Children could also draw an animal or bird hatching for a Hattie Peck classroom wall display.
If you’re looking for picture books about eggs or to give as an Easter gift we think Hattie Peck would be perfect 🙂
Age Range: 2 +
Author / Illustrator: Emma Levey
Thank you to Willow Tree Books for sending Hattie Peck. She’s the kind of picture book heroine that we like to read about.