Rating: 
Summary: good lesson
Review: Great lesson for children. This story teaches that respect, honesty, hard work, greatfulness, and kindness are traits that take you where you want to go and that the opposite traits may yield undeseriable outcomes. My classes really enjoyed the illustration too!
Rating: 
Summary: 5 Stars
Review: I gave the story 5 stars because I like folktales. The words and phrases gave me a picture in my head. I thought the pictures were very colorful and creative. I thought the ending was the best ut I am not going to tell anyone. I would rate this book for kids 5-11 because I think kids these ages would find the book very interesting. I hope a lot of people enjoyed it,too.
Rating:
Summary: Magical!
Review: I personally like the story a lot. It was magical. Usually magic stories I like a lot. Blanche, the sister of Rose, did all the work. Blanche got in trouble and an old lady took Blanche to her house. There was a two-headed cow, colored chickens, and in the evening rabbits came to dance outside the house. Blanche took some eggs and .....find out!
Rating:
Summary: The Cajun folktale of Blanche and the Talking Eggs
Review: I suppose "The Talking Eggs" is a variation of sorts on the classic fairy tale of Cinderella, although there are a couple of significant differences. One such difference would be that in this story retold by Robert D. San Souci there is neither a prince nor a grand ball, so there is no notion of romance involved. But the most interesting difference is that there is no wicked stepmother. In fact, the story is about a widow and her two daughters. Blanche is "sweet and kind and sharp as forty crickets" while Rose was "cross and mean and didn't know beans from birds' eggs." The mother makes Blanche do all the work because she likes Rose best; they are, all, just like too peas in a pod in that they are bad-tempered, sharp-tongued, and always putting on airs.What changes this unhappy state of affairs is that on a hot day Blanche is sent to the well to fetch a bucket of cool water. But at the well she meets an old woman nearly fainting from the heat and the kindly Blanche gives her a drink of water. The old woman says she will be blessed by God for her kind deed, but when she returns home she is yelled at for taking so long that the water is now warm. So Blanche runs away into the woods and finds the kindly old woman who takes her home so that the child can have a supper and a clean bed. However, the old woman makes Blanche promise that she will not laugh at anything she sees. This become important the first thing she sees at the old woman's tumbledown shack is a cow with two heads and horns like corkscrews. There are even stranger sights to be seen that evening and the next morning the old woman gives Blanche a present by telling her what to do with the talking eggs that are to be found in the chicken house. Actually, it is not the eggs that are present but what is in the right ones if you throw them over your shoulder. However, Blanche getting treasures is only half of the payoff for this story, because her mother and sister have to get their comeuppance as well, which, in the grand scheme of things, is even more satisfying. The full title of this book is "The Talking Eggs: A Folktale from the American South," but the story is specifically adapted from a Creole folktale originally included in a collection of Louisiana stories published late in the 19th century. San Sourci explains that the story probably had its roots in popular European fairy tales that were brought to Cajun country by French émigrés and that eventually the story was spread throughout the South in different variations with Cajun or Gullah overtones. The wonderful watercolor illustrations for this Caldecott Honor Book are by Jerry Pinkney, who brings a delightful sense of imagination and detail. My favorite is the double-page spread when the rabbits come out of the underbrush all dressed up and start dancing. There are some rather frightening aspects to this story (the old woman takes her head off so she can fix her hair) but Pinkney avoids showing such things directly, so that the story retains its sense of the fantastical. Young readers will appreciate not only the sense of imagination in both the telling and the illustrating of this tale, but the fact that in the end Blanche gets to live happily ever after while those who mistreated her end up sore, stung, and covered with mud.
Rating:
Summary: The Cajun folktale of Blanche and the Talking Eggs
Review: I suppose "The Talking Eggs" is a variation of sorts on the classic fairy tale of Cinderella, although there are a couple of significant differences. One such difference would be that in this story retold by Robert D. San Souci there is neither a prince nor a grand ball, so there is no notion of romance involved. But the most interesting difference is that there is no wicked stepmother. In fact, the story is about a widow and her two daughters. Blanche is "sweet and kind and sharp as forty crickets" while Rose was "cross and mean and didn't know beans from birds' eggs." The mother makes Blanche do all the work because she likes Rose best; they are, all, just like too peas in a pod in that they are bad-tempered, sharp-tongued, and always putting on airs. What changes this unhappy state of affairs is that on a hot day Blanche is sent to the well to fetch a bucket of cool water. But at the well she meets an old woman nearly fainting from the heat and the kindly Blanche gives her a drink of water. The old woman says she will be blessed by God for her kind deed, but when she returns home she is yelled at for taking so long that the water is now warm. So Blanche runs away into the woods and finds the kindly old woman who takes her home so that the child can have a supper and a clean bed. However, the old woman makes Blanche promise that she will not laugh at anything she sees. This become important the first thing she sees at the old woman's tumbledown shack is a cow with two heads and horns like corkscrews. There are even stranger sights to be seen that evening and the next morning the old woman gives Blanche a present by telling her what to do with the talking eggs that are to be found in the chicken house. Actually, it is not the eggs that are present but what is in the right ones if you throw them over your shoulder. However, Blanche getting treasures is only half of the payoff for this story, because her mother and sister have to get their comeuppance as well, which, in the grand scheme of things, is even more satisfying. The full title of this book is "The Talking Eggs: A Folktale from the American South," but the story is specifically adapted from a Creole folktale originally included in a collection of Louisiana stories published late in the 19th century. San Sourci explains that the story probably had its roots in popular European fairy tales that were brought to Cajun country by French émigrés and that eventually the story was spread throughout the South in different variations with Cajun or Gullah overtones. The wonderful watercolor illustrations for this Caldecott Honor Book are by Jerry Pinkney, who brings a delightful sense of imagination and detail. My favorite is the double-page spread when the rabbits come out of the underbrush all dressed up and start dancing. There are some rather frightening aspects to this story (the old woman takes her head off so she can fix her hair) but Pinkney avoids showing such things directly, so that the story retains its sense of the fantastical. Young readers will appreciate not only the sense of imagination in both the telling and the illustrating of this tale, but the fact that in the end Blanche gets to live happily ever after while those who mistreated her end up sore, stung, and covered with mud.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book of all the Books in the World!
Review: The book, The Talking Eggs, is like Cinderella because the nice sister, Blanche, is doing all the work and the mom and sister, Rose, are just sitting and just laying around all day long.........One day Blanche meets a woman and the woman takes her somewhere, but where? Hint-Hint.......two head cows and talking eggs. Guess what happens at the end.......who knows. Go get the book and find out for yourself!
Rating:
Summary: Great Story!
Review: The Talking Eggs was a great story!The way the author put the story together was wonderful.Blanche had a mean mother and sister.Poor Blanche had to do all the work. But then she got what she deserved when she met an old woman on the road. I would say that this story was great. I would recommend the book to ages 6 and up.
Rating:
Summary: An Imaginative, Heart-Warming Variation on Cinderella
Review: This book received a Caldecott Honor as one of the best illustrated children's books in 1990. The rich, subtle watercolors expand the reader's appreciation of the story, and help keep some of its stronger elements in balance for younger children. The story itself is a cross between several favorite fairy tales, most significantly Cinderella, and represents a retelling of a Creole story from the American South. A widow has two daughters, and lives with them on a poor farm that "looked like the tail end of bad luck." Rose, who was like her mother, was "cross and mean and didn't know beans from birds' eggs." Her sister, Blanche, was "sweet and kind and sharp as forty crickets." Unfortunately, their mother liked Rose best because they were so similar, being "bad-tempered, sharp-tongued, and always putting on airs." While the two of them chatted, Blanche did the work. One day, Blanche was getting water and ran into an older woman who asked for a drink. Blanche helped her. As a result, Blanche was late returning and received much ill-treatment from her mother and sister. Running off, Blanche saw the old woman again, who asked Blanche to join her. She warned Blanche not to laugh and to do as she was told. Soon, they are in a magical place where all kinds of strange things happen. But there is plenty to eat and drink. At the end, Blanche is told to bring back certain talking eggs and throw them over her shoulder. When she does, a nice set of surprises occurs. Immediately jealous, her mother sends Rose to the old woman to get similar help. But Rose cannot follow directions, and the magic either doesn't work for her or causes her problems. In each case, justice is done. The story is told in an imaginative way that makes the reader want to know what will happen next. Unlike many fairy tales where you can pretty much outline the rest of the plot near the beginning, this one has some interesting, unexpected twists. The writing is witty, and makes good use of the story's inherent charm in praising goodness of character. If you have a sensitive child, this may not be the right book for you to acquire. The treatment of Blanche can upset some children. The magic involves creatures having two heads, and the old woman being able to take her head on and off again. In one scene, Rose takes the woman's head as a ploy to get some talking eggs, too. You can see how this might be a bit much for a sensitive four year old. Children who are able to suspend their sense of reality will probably have no problems with the story. I enjoyed the watercolors very much. They provided a richness in their exquisite detail that made me feel good just holding the book. Also, it made the book seem more sophisticated than the typical treatment of fairy and folk tales. The book deals with many realistic problems that occur in families, like having only one parent, not having enough money, having one child be favored over another, having one child be treated poorly, and children looking for sympathy from nonfamily members. This will provide many opportunities to discuss these issues, and find out what your child thinks. I also suggest that you talk about whether or not Blanche should have gone off with the old woman. The book seems to suggest that looking for help from strangers is a good idea. That's not an idea that I wanted my children to have, so you will probably want to clarify your feelings on this subject as you read the book. May all be loved, and treated fairly!
Rating:
Summary: An Imaginative, Heart-Warming Variation on Cinderella
Review: This book received a Caldecott Honor as one of the best illustrated children's books in 1990. The rich, subtle watercolors expand the reader's appreciation of the story, and help keep some of its stronger elements in balance for younger children. The story itself is a cross between several favorite fairy tales, most significantly Cinderella, and represents a retelling of a Creole story from the American South.
A widow has two daughters, and lives with them on a poor farm that "looked like the tail end of bad luck." Rose, who was like her mother, was "cross and mean and didn't know beans from birds' eggs." Her sister, Blanche, was "sweet and kind and sharp as forty crickets." Unfortunately, their mother liked Rose best because they were so similar, being "bad-tempered, sharp-tongued, and always putting on airs." While the two of them chatted, Blanche did the work. One day, Blanche was getting water and ran into an older woman who asked for a drink. Blanche helped her. As a result, Blanche was late returning and received much ill-treatment from her mother and sister. Running off, Blanche saw the old woman again, who asked Blanche to join her. She warned Blanche not to laugh and to do as she was told. Soon, they are in a magical place where all kinds of strange things happen. But there is plenty to eat and drink. At the end, Blanche is told to bring back certain talking eggs and throw them over her shoulder. When she does, a nice set of surprises occurs. Immediately jealous, her mother sends Rose to the old woman to get similar help. But Rose cannot follow directions, and the magic either doesn't work for her or causes her problems. In each case, justice is done. The story is told in an imaginative way that makes the reader want to know what will happen next. Unlike many fairy tales where you can pretty much outline the rest of the plot near the beginning, this one has some interesting, unexpected twists. The writing is witty, and makes good use of the story's inherent charm in praising goodness of character. If you have a sensitive child, this may not be the right book for you to acquire. The treatment of Blanche can upset some children. The magic involves creatures having two heads, and the old woman being able to take her head on and off again. In one scene, Rose takes the woman's head as a ploy to get some talking eggs, too. You can see how this might be a bit much for a sensitive four year old. Children who are able to suspend their sense of reality will probably have no problems with the story. I enjoyed the watercolors very much. They provided a richness in their exquisite detail that made me feel good just holding the book. Also, it made the book seem more sophisticated than the typical treatment of fairy and folk tales. The book deals with many realistic problems that occur in families, like having only one parent, not having enough money, having one child be favored over another, having one child be treated poorly, and children looking for sympathy from nonfamily members. This will provide many opportunities to discuss these issues, and find out what your child thinks. I also suggest that you talk about whether or not Blanche should have gone off with the old woman. The book seems to suggest that looking for help from strangers is a good idea. That's not an idea that I wanted my children to have, so you will probably want to clarify your feelings on this subject as you read the book. May all be loved, and treated fairly!
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written, beautifully illustrated.
Review: This is a charming little folktale about two sisters à one mean and greedy, the other generous and kind à and their encounter with a strange, magical old woman. In the end, the good sister is rewarded and the bad one punished. A nice story with a good message.
But this isnÕt just a nice book, it is an extraordinary one. One thing that makes it special is the way the author uses language. Robert San Souci draws on an African American storytelling tradition and a southern rural dialect that just makes the language sing! The book is full of wonderful, poetic lines and great rhythmic language. ItÕs a joy to read aloud. The words feel good in your mouth. And any parent or teacher who reads aloud a lot knows what a rare quality that is. Even when IÕm tired, I feel like I canÕt read this book badly. The words just flow. And the illustrations are gorgeous. Jerry Pinkney is one of the best illustrators around and this is one of my favorites of all his work. The composition, the subtle colors, the intricate detail à you rarely come across art this fine in childrenÕs books. I bought this book for my daughter a couple of years ago, and weÕre still reading it over and over again. ItÕs so good, I hope in a generation sheÕll still be reading it to my grandchildren.
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