First the Egg

In another nimble page-turner, Seeger ("Black? White! Day? Night!)" toys with die-cuts and strategically paired words. She introduces a chicken-or-egg dilemma on her books cover, picturing a plump white egg in a golden-brown nest. Remove the die-cut dust jacket, and a hen appears on the glossy inner cover. The eggshell, thickly brushed in bluish-white and cream, also serves as the chickens feathers. This first/then pattern is repeated (First the egg/ then the chicken./ First the tadpole/ then the frog), with a die-cut on every other page. By flipping a page, readers see the cutout in two contexts. For instance, when an ovoid shape is superimposed on a white ground, its an egg; on a yolk-yellow ground, its the body of a baby chick. Seeger lines up the recto and verso of every sheet, maintaining a casual mood with generous swabs of grassy greens, sky blues and oxide yellows on canvas. Given the exuberant imagery, the occasional cutout (like the fingernail-size seed of a blowsy peony-pink flower) looks none too impressive. But if minuscule die-cuts seem barely worth the trouble, they do imply the potential in humble sources. Seegers clever conclusion brings all the elements together in an outdoor scene that returns readers to the opening: First the paint/ then the picture] / First the chicken/ then the egg! Ages 2-6. "(Sept.)" Copyright 2007 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2With brief text and vibrant artwork, Seeger describes familiar transformations in nature. The opening spread reads, "First the EGG." Textured backdrops painted in mustard yellow and rusty orange fill the eye and focus attention on a white egg that peeks through an oval-shaped die-cut from the next page. The following spread completes the thought, "then the CHICKEN," revealing a just-hatched chick and a fluffy white hen. Other similarly conveyed cycles include tadpole to frog, seed to flower, and caterpillar to butterfly. Finally, Seeger extends the concept to a broader sphere, with "First the WORD]then the STORY" and "First the PAINT]then the PICTURE," bringing the book full circle with an illustration that incorporates all of the highlighted entities, including the chickenwhich then lays an egg. Throughout, the paintings focus closely on the items being described, and vivid color combinations and see-through die-cuts keep the art fresh and inviting. With its even rhythm, clearly expressed concept, and strong visuals, this book would make a great read-aloud for preschoolers; it could also serve as a beginning reader, a simple introduction to developmental biology, an example of logical sequencing, and a launchpad for creative writing."Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal" Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.