First the Egg

by Laura Vaccaro Seeger and Seeger

Book Overview

WHICH CAME FIRST? The chicken or the egg? Simple die-cuts magically present transformation-- from seed to flower, tadpole to frog, caterpillar to butterfly. The acclaimed author of Black? White Day?... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1596432721
• ISBN13: 9781596432727
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.4" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 2 to 6 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 1

Customer Reviews

Chicken or the Egg?

FIRST THE EGG is appealing to both young and old. The cut-outs bring out interest of young readers what the next image is going to be. This picture book is so simple in its story and picture that I think it is a great tool to make learning fun. The author cleverly uses causality dilemma of `chicken or the egg' and introduces whole-ray of things that begin and grows or evolves into something else. The page starts out with, `first the egg' and ends with...(don't want to give away the ending but isn't it obvious?) to come back to the beginning answer the never-ending question, first the egg.

A concept journey: egg or chicken? chicken or egg?

Which came first--the chicken or the egg? Finally, someone is here to tell us. But the answer later. "First the egg," written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, is a Caldecott honor winner for 2008 and an honor book for the Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) Award. What makes it special? Both the artwork and the story, or actually, in this case, concepts that lead from one transformation to the next. Two previous clever winners are Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book) by David Wiesner and Black and White, an earlier Caldecott by David Macauley. I took this book from a display in our bi-annual Book Fair. I read it in just one minute. Then reread it. And reread it. Every time I pick up this seemingly simple book, I see something else I missed. Even the covers are part of the story. This book is more than clever--it is brilliant, as in illuminating. Listen, here is the story. Get comfortable and let me read it to you: First the EGG then the CHICKEN First the TADPOLE then the FROG First the SEED then the FLOWER First the CATERPILLAR then the BUTTERFLY First the WORD then the STORY First the PAINT then the PICTURE, First the CHICKEN then the EGG! Well? Exactly! Without the bold colors and almost in-your-face images in the background, the words are fine, but...? A Caldecott Award is given to the most distinguished picture book of the year. Please look at the cover image with this review. That gives an idea of the power of the colors and paint technique, which is impasto on canvas, providing two layers of texture. That is what this book has--texture: layers of texture in the art and the concepts. Art? A creative, bold enterprise that can make the chicken or the egg first. Think it, do it. Create. That is exactly what Ms Seeger did. She created a bold, creative way to examine this age-old riddle. "First the egg" is highly recommended, not only for children, who will adore it, but also for adults, who will be reminded of the grandeur of creation in all its many forms. Great children's books belong in the collection of adults as well as in children's.

Which comes first?

A lovely book for young people, with die cut pages that explain some of life's mysteries in an age appropriate way.

First the Egg

We purchased this book for our 3 yr. old grandson for Christmas, and it was wonderful. He just loved it and ask us to read it to him every night before he went to bed, and during the day also. It is easy to read, and is a good teaching tool.

This author is a stand out

I have become a big fan of this author's work, which is saying a lot as I am, I'm told, very hard to please. There is a combination of ingenuity and beauty in this book that is almost impossible to describe without book in hand. Very useful for teaching transformation and the way Seeger works in the concept of creativity is no less than brilliant. I highly recommend this book to anyone from age 3 to 90.Dog and Bear (Neal Porter Books) (Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner-Best Picture Book) (Awards))The Hidden Alphabet (Ala Notable Children's Books. Younger Readers (Awards)) (Neal Porter Books)Lemons Are Not Red