Hunwick's Egg

Well-known and respected children’s book author Mem Fox writes the creative story of Hunwick’s Egg, illustrated by Pamela Lofts. The target audience of this book is first through third grade students. Students will enjoy reading and seeing the illustrations based off of Australian wildlife.

Rating: 4/5 out of 5 Stars

Summary: Hunwick is a bandicoot, native to Australia, and he finds a mysterious egg one day after a storm. The egg did not have a home to Hunwick decides to take care for the lost egg and befriend it. Time goes by and the egg does not hatch. The other animals begin to worry if it will ever hatch and have their doubts. But, Hunwick is not worried about the egg hatching and chooses to love and cherish it just the way it is.

Hunwick’s Egg is a classic tale of friendship and companionship. Mem Fox is an incredible children’s book author who does not disappoint in this story. The story takes in the idea of friendship through diverse wildlife that children’s books do not usually incorporate such as a bandicoot, an emu, and a cockatoo. Most young readers are most likely unfamiliar with such animals and it is great exposure to different type of animals than typical animals found in the United States. The illustrations are extremely detailed and give readers a visual representation of the Australian wildlife represented. Not only will the pictures draw a reader in but also the suspense of whether or not the egg will hatch or what will come of the friendship between the egg and Hunwick keeps the reader guessing and predicting what will come next.

This book has a lot of great elements for young or new readers. It can be used for a read aloud in the classroom or can be an independent read. The repetition of the text helps give readers a sense of familiarity and comfort as they read along. The illustrations also provide contextual clues for readers if they ever find themselves struggling with a page or series of words. Students can also relate to the text in what it is like to make a friend and dealing with what other people’s opinions are. The overall vocabulary is not complex though students might have a hard time understand the animals in the story if they have not been exposed to such animals before. A pre-reading activity to build schema about Australian wildlife and animals may be appropriate before reading this book.

I would use this book in my future classroom. I believe it sends a great message about friendship and what it means to have a caring and nurturing friendship. I would use this book for a read aloud and have it available for an independent read within a classroom library. It can tie into a unit on friendship but also it can be used to explore different ecosystems such as the Australian desert.

Side note about author Mem Fox: She is a world-renowned literacy specialist and educator. She has written many children’s books but also book on how to teach literacy. Fox travels around the world giving presentations and speaking about children’s literacy and other related issues (Wikipedia). Visit her website at: http://www.memfox.net/welcome.html to view other books, hear her read aloud, and find out more information on children's literature. She has also been recognized with several awards for her writing and work within the children's literacy field.