Unit 2 Review - The Talking Eggs

 

Bibliographic Information

San Souci, Robert D.. 1989. THE TALKING EGGS. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0-8037-0619-7

Plot Summary

It is a tale of two sisters: Rose, who is spoiled and lazy but her mother’s favorite, and sweet Blanche, who is forced to fetch and carry and do all the hard work for her mother and sister. Blanche’s life is miserable until one day her kindness to an old witch-woman catapults her into a miraculous world where cows have two heads and bray like mules, and rabbits in fancy dress dance the Virginia reel. Strangest of all are the wondrous talking eggs, which dramatically prove that beauty may hide great ugliness while the plainest of objects may conceal treasures within. 

Critical Analysis

On the first page of this story, Robert D. San Souci writes, “The Talking Eggs is adapted from a Creole folktale originally included in a collection of Louisiana stories by the folklorist Alcee Fortier and published late in the nineteenth century. The tale appears to have its roots in popular European fairy tales, probably brought to Louisiana by French emigres. Variations of the story, with Cajun or Gullah overtones, suggest that it was gradually spread orally through other areas of the American South.” This one of a kind story tells a tale of a young girl, Blanche, who lives with her mean and greedy mother and sister on a poor farm near a forest. They are unkind to her and force her to do all the work and chores for the farm. Despite her family’s cruelness, the girl remains kind and sweet. At first, I thought this was going to be a similar story to Cinderella, but it ended up being much different. 

Young Blanche meets an old woman in the woods and gives her water and kindness. Upon her return home, her mother is angry and begins to hit her, so Blanche runs away. The old woman invites her home, but makes her promise not to laugh at what she sees. It’s a fanatical place. Before she leaves for home, she is invited to take some beautiful talking eggs. When Blanche returns home, her mother and sister are jealous of all the beautiful things and try to replicate what Blanche did before. This, of course, does not go to plan, and they are chased into the forest. When they arrive back, Blanche is gone, never to be seen again as she is living the beautiful, extravagant life her family always wanted, but didn’t deserve. 

While a longer story, my four year old was entranced the entire time, especially by the detail in the pictures. The full-color artwork was prepared using pencil, colored pencils, and watercolor. The artwork was then color-separated and reproduced as red, blue, yellow, and black halftones, leading to a more muted look throughout the story. The pictures were so incredibly detailed, down to the wrinkles in their dresses, and the feathers on the chickens. My daughter loved the curls in Blanche’s hair and the jewels on the eggs. The pictures perfectly captivated the story and allowed the reader to picture exactly what was being depicted. It is a story which highlights the virtues of kindness and generosity and the dangers of greed; A wonderful moral teaching lesson for everyone.

Awards Won & Review Excerpt(s)

*The Talking Eggs is a 1989 Caldecott Honor Book.

*1989 Coretta Scott King Award Honor Book 

*Additional honors: ALA Notable Book, Booklist Children’s Editors’ Choice, Parents’ Choice Award, and American Bookseller Pick of the Lists

*Publisher’s Weekly - In this adaptation of a Creole folktale, Blanche is kind, loving and patient, but her older sister Rose takes after their mean, sneaky mother. One day Blanche befriends a hideous old ``aunty'' on a path near her home and is rewarded with magic eggs. Of course, Rose and the girls' mother are beside themselves with envy, and Rose sets out to snag some eggs of her own. But Rose's cruel nature gets her into trouble. She torments the old lady, grabs the wrong eggs and ends up ``angry, sore and stung.'' Pinkney's exquisitely wrought illustrations are close cousins to those in his Caldecott Honor Book Mirandy and Brother Wind , with similar woodlands and soft farmyard settings of the rural South. When the magic begins, the witch takes off her head, dressed-up rabbits do the Virginia reel and eggs begin to chatter. There are some spectacular scenes here.

*School Library Journal - This lesson about virtue rewarded and greed punished is illustrated with Pinkney's lush, detailed watercolor and pencil art, which literally interprets the story and provides abundant detail. The characters are black, the setting rural, and the themes universal.

Connections

*Share with students that The Talking Eggs is adapted from a Creole folktale originally included in a collection of Louisiana stories. Ask if they’ve heard any other Creole stories and call on volunteers to share.

*Arts – The old woman warns both Blanche and Rose that they’ll see some funny things on their walk through the woods. Have students use the descriptions in the book and their imaginations to depict fanciful creatures that live in the forest.

*Read aloud another folktale to students. Simplify the story line and write short sections of it onto index cards. Hide the cards around the classroom. On the board, write a clue about each card's location. Ask students to use the clues, locate all the cards, and arrange them into the correct story sequence. Finally, you might want to have groups read the set of cards (story) aloud to others.