The Enormous Egg

by Oliver Butterworth

Book Overview

Young Nate Twitchell is surprised when one of the hens on his family farm lays a giant egg. After a painstaking wait, Nate is even more surprised when it hatches and out pops a baby triceratops that he names Uncle Beazley But when Nate decides to keep the dino and raise it on his own, he has no idea what he's getting himself into. As Uncle Beazley grows, Nate and his family realize they are not equipped to take care of a full-sized dinosaur, and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316119202
• ISBN13: 9780316119207
• Release Date: April 1993
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Length: 188 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

It's An American Egg...

THE ENORMOUS EGG, written in 1956, is the fantastical tale of young Nate Twitchell of Freedom, New Hampshire, who, one fine day, discovers that one of his chickens has hatched out a baby Triceratops. Author Oliver Butterworth has gifted generations with a classic satire on the American economic and political system, peopled by a cast of amusing characters with some really unforgettable names. In trying to protect his odd pet from a veritable army of hucksters of every stripe who are trying to exploit "Uncle Beazley" for their own ends, Nate Twitchell teaches us a crucial civics lesson on the importance of free speech in a free society. A fun and important book written for ten year olds, THE ENORMOUS EGG is appropriate for adults as well. Strongly recommended for all!

Not Really a Dinosaur Book

Although on the surface this book is about a boy and his dinosaur, it is really about the freedoms promised to Americans by the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Through Nate's story we learn about the power of free speach, and the importance of each voice in our political system. It is also a celebration of non-traditional learning experiences, and the joy of persuing education outside of school. The Enormous Egg is a great civics lesson and should be of particular interest to home schoolers.

A splendid book

I loved this book because it was a funny aventure. I thought the dinosaur, Uncle Beasley, was awesome. My favorite part was when he turmed over a truck on the highway. I thought it was funny! Nate was a cool guy because he rode the dinosaur and saved him from dying. Everybody would enjoy this book!

Terrific, Imaginative Tale

One morning, as Nate Twitchell goes to the hen house to collect eggs, he finds one of his chickens sitting on an enormous egg...it's even bigger than the hen. No one has ever seen anything like this before and Nate is determined to take care of the egg and make sure it hatches. But, taking care of the egg is a big chore. Nate has to turn it often, to keep it warm and watch it carefully. After six weeks it hatches and out comes, not a baby chick, but a baby triceratops. News of the birth of a dinosaur travels fast and soon doctors, scientists and even politicians are coming to town to have a look. As the dinosaur grows larger and larger, some decisions have to be made about where it will live and who will take the best care of it. Mr Butterworth has written a wonderful, fast paced story, narrated by Nate, that your kids will not want to stop reading. The Enormous Egg is an action packed, funny and sometimes poignant story full of interesting characters and great, vivid scenes. This is the perfect book for kids age 9-12 and a terrific read-aloud book the whole family can enjoy together.

A terrific book with something for everyone.

The Enormous Egg is a wonderful book for anyone. It has the humor to keep all ages amused and the suspense to keep the younger readers turning the pages. Written from the perspective of a young boy, it is personable to the reader. From a teaching perspective there are numerous uses for this book; how DO you convince someone there is a dinosaur in your barn? Can you convince the congress to pay for the upkeep of an "ugly" Triceratops? I whole heartedly recommend this book.