"The Talking Eggs" by Robert D. San Souci, Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: The Talking Eggs

Author: Robert D. San Souci

Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney

Year of Publication: 1989

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 0-8037-0619-7

Author Website: http://www.rsansouci.com/

Illustrator Website: http://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/

Media Used for Artwork: Pencil, Color Pencil, Watercolor

Awards

·         American Library Association’s Caldecott Award Honor Book, 1990

·         American Library Association’s Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book, 1990

·         American Library Association Notable Book

·         Booklist Children’s Editors’ Choice

·         Parents’ Choice Award

Annotation

Poor Blanche must endure the cruelty of her mother and sister, Rose.  But even while living in this situation Blanche remains a very sweet girl.  And it doesn’t go unnoticed by a magical woman who helps improve her life.

Personal Reaction

                The culture of the Creole is captured beautifully in this retelling of a folk tale.  Not only does the author, San Souci, write dialogue where a reader can almost hear the accents of the characters, the illustrator, Pinkney, captures the scenery of the South.  It is refreshing to see how the American South is embraced in this picture book, unlike other versions where no culture is identifiable.  “The Talking Eggs” is meant to teach readers about the culture of an area of the country they may not be knowledgeable of.  It educates in a retelling of a classical tale that is unique because of its setting.

The author creates such distinct characters that readers can definitely see what characteristics are good and what are bad.  There is a reason Blanche is rewarded at the end of the tale, while her sister, Rose, and mother are punished.  Blanche follows the rules and is kind, while her sister is manipulative and mean.  This story is very forward about what is considered good and bad, what merits reward and what merits punishment.  Older readers would appreciate the fact that nothing is subtle about the moral of the story.  Reward is clear and so is the punishment.

The watercolors are so detailed in the picture book.  Like in other stories illustrated by Pinkney, whoever reads the book cannot help but appreciate the amount of work he must have put into each painting.  One is almost tempted to reach out to feel the texture of the old woman’s shawl, run fingers through the blades of grass, and dance with the rabbits dressed in frock-tail coats and trail-train dresses.  The illustrator knows how to put as much detail into an image that every time the story is reread something new appears.  Even the eggs that talk have faces.  Pinkney understood the story written by San Souci and created art that would work well with it.

Use of simile:  There were several instances of similes in this story to add to the characterizations of the characters in the story.
Example: “Blanche was sweet and kind and sharp as forty crickets.”