The wonderful world of eggs.
The biggest issue that I have with this book is the first few sentences that spread across the first three pages. "CHICKENS laid the eggs you buy, the eggs you boil or fry or dye! or leave alone so you can see what grew inside naturally." No, that's not how you hatch a chicken.
Different kinds of animals lay eggs.
A boring of lists.
The page for "A bevy of beauties" is kind of sexist: it depicts a bunch of women and girls from the rear (multicultural, though!) wearing leotards and tights like they're in a ballet class. I'm pretty sure I've heard the word bevy used for quail or something. I've never heard it used for people.
Collective nouns exist, and here are some of them I know arranged at random.
Good morning, how are you? I'm Dr. Worm. I'm interested in things.
It's not simply an LGBT positive message. It is also showing that just because things are traditional doesn't mean that they're right. And you can keep some aspects of tradition while changing the ones that you don't like. Because the important thing (in this particular case) is that Worm loves Worm.
Love transcends boundaries. Or, tradition can be fun, but don't let it stifle you.
Things have a way of working out in the end.
So, yeah. It's well written. It's well drawn. I would say it's for older audiences, not for little kids, due to its subject matter and length. It deals with everything in a very respectful manner.
Even if you're going through tough times, you'll get through it okay. Everything will be better in the future.
I'm the map, I'm the map, I'm the map...
Maybe the real story is that the grandfather sent a map, and the journey is metaphorical? It kind of makes me think that it's a fable that the author wrote for her son and her family, and then she thought it was really good so she published it. The art is fascinating and in a nice style. I'm not that impressed by the story because it's almost too personal for me to care about, but it's cute anyhow.
Family is important even if they're far away.
When you wish upon a black person...
It's never stated where in "Africa" the woman is from. The only thing you ever learn about her is that she's a nurse (which is, don't get me wrong, a respectable profession). But she's basically the "Magical Negro" (TV Tropes). She's the vaguely different character who is more in touch with nature that helps the white person by giving him "deep spiritual wisdom" (TV Tropes). It's not okay to treat other cultures that way.
Black people have magic powers and will help you get through illnesses. Or, operations are scary and dangerous.
Hm, I just grew legs. Whatevs.
Maybe it's like it's supposed to be a tragic love story that's got kind of a hint of poetic irony underneath it? This book upsets me. I do not like this book.
Lovers are doomed to eat each other. Or, you will destroy everything you love.
But in reality, gorillas actually are dangerous.
You would think that sentient prey animals would be more aware of the different species that dwell in their vicinity, which ones are dangerous, and which aren't. Is she also afraid of parrots? Large frogs? Seriously, if there's a gorilla following you all around the freaking world but maybe you should try to figure out why.
Big, scary things just want to be your friend.
Froggies be crazy, yo.
I can't figure out why this frog is just tormenting this duck. Did he do something to his parents or something like that? Is he responsible for some kind of embarrassment in the past? It's not just that he's annoying the crap out of him. He never even ends up revealing that he was the one that put Duck through this, and Duck just ends up feeling like he solved the problem on his own. It's just bizarre.
When you can't find something, it's probably being hidden from you for no apparent reason by a small frog.
Unusual is not necessarily good.
This is a weird book. I guess it's for people who are fans of the illustrator, Leonard Baskin. He has a very distinctive style and it's different from most other children's books.
None, just an alphabet book.
