Peep and Egg: I'm Not Hatching

by Laura Gehl, Joyce Wan (Illustrator)

Overview

Egg is not hatching.

No way. No how.

It is too scary out there.

Peep wants Egg to hatch so they can do fun things together, like watch the sunrise, splash in puddles, and play hide-and-seek.

But Egg is not cracking...

Joyce Wan's bright and bold illustrations will have young chickies giggling at Laura Gehl's reassuring tale that takes the not out of I'm not.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374301217
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	02/09/2016
Series:	Peep and Egg Series
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	793,325
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Laura Gehl is the author of several picture books, including One big Pair of Underwear, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Laura has four children, three of whom waited to hatch until well past forty weeks. She and her family live in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Joyce Wan is the author and illustrator of many popular board books, including You Are My Cupcake and We Belong Together. She is also the illustrator of Sandra J. Howett's Sleepyheads. Joyce lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

11/23/2015
A chick named Peep can’t wait for her sibling to hatch, but Egg has plenty of reasons to stay in his shell. Peep tries to tempt Egg with visions of everything they’ll do together, but splashing in puddles is “too wet,” and playing hide and seek with the pigs and sheep is “too loud.” Peep tries to stay upbeat, but when she puts her wings on her hips and scowls, readers will know that she isn’t going to beg forever. “Okay, I guess you’re not ready.... See ya later,” Peep tells Egg, who promptly realizes he had better hatch after all. Gehl’s (Hare and Tortoise Race Across Israel) just-enough text delivers a spot-on channeling of a coaxing parent and oppositional child, while Wan (The Whale in My Swimming Pool) blends expressive emoji-like characters (even unhatched, Egg has a vividly cranky personality) with ingeniously geometric settings. A scene in which Peep and Egg imagine watching a sunrise together is a marvelous array of shapes and lines. Ages 2–6. Author’s agent: Erzsi Deàk, Hen & Ink Literary Studio. Illustrator’s agent: Teresa Kietlinski, Prospect Agency. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Peep and Egg I'm Not Hatching:

"Rendered with thick lines, flat colors, and simple cartoonlike shapes, Wan’s illustrations are a joyous complement to Gehl’s text. Children will listen in anticipation of what will make Egg finally hatch; their adult readers will smile in recognition of the predictable toddler stubbornness." —Kirkus Reviews

"Gehl’s just-enough text delivers a spot-on channeling of a coaxing parent and oppositional child, while Wan blends expressive emoji-like characters (even unhatched, Egg has a vividly cranky personality) with ingeniously geometric settings. A scene in which Peep and Egg imagine watching a sunrise together is a marvelous array of shapes and lines." —Publishers Weekly

"Charmingly illustrated by Wan with bold strokes and spot-on facial expressions, this picture book is delightful. Gehl has created an appealing duo with the enthusiastic Peep and the lovably neurotic Egg. The constant refrain of “I’m not hatching” will be a winner at storytime. VERDICT A clever way to demonstrate overcoming one’s fears." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2015-10-14
Egg will not hatch in spite of all the fun things he could do with Peep. What will it take to get him to hatch? Peep is a cute little chick with a pink gingham bow on her head, and she would love Egg to hatch. There are so many things they could do together, if only he would. But Egg is being ornery and finds something he doesn't like with every proposal. "Too high," he says of watching the sunrise from the roof of the henhouse. "Too wet," of splashing in puddles. "Too far," of strolling to the pond to say hi to the ducks. And "Too buggy," of taking a nap in the tall grass. But when Peep proposes a blueberry-muffin picnic, Egg has had enough, yelling in no uncertain terms "I'M NOT HATCHING!" As Peep gives up and waves "See ya later," matching stubbornness for stubbornness, Egg hatches! Rendered with thick lines, flat colors, and simple cartoonlike shapes, Wan's illustrations are a joyous complement to Gehl's text. Children will listen in anticipation of what will make Egg finally hatch; their adult readers will smile in recognition of the predictable toddler stubbornness. Delightful and right on target. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews

07/01/2017
Toddler-PreS—Egg refuses to hatch—it's just too frightening out there! A chick named Peep offers words of encouragement, describing all the fun they'll have once Egg emerges. Egg shoots down every one of Peep's ideas: riding sheep is "too bumpy," while splashing in puddles is "too wet." Depicting rounded, thick-lined, smiling animals, the cartoonish illustrations are high on the cute factor. Gehl's repetitive text, punctuated by a refrain of "I'm not hatching," will speak to youngsters who are reluctant to come out of their shells, and may even inspire them to try new and potentially scary things, just like Egg, who eventually comes around.

School Library Journal

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