The little bird is hatching! Everyone is rushing to see the main event. This is not to be missed — everyone’s buzzing about it! With cameras in tow, various animals hop into cars, motorcycles, wagon trailers — anything that will get them there in time to see the event unfold. Finally, with the crowd gathered ‘round, a crack appears in the eggshell and out comes . . . well, it’s not quite what they expected. The disappointed crowd complains and sulks out. Then the hatchling reveals his little trick to readers. He has outsmarted the crowd! And for good reason, he thinks: you can’t even hatch in peace these days. This funny, surprising, and lightly satirical early picture book captures the hype of a highly anticipated event. Enjoyable on multiple levels, Hatch, Little Egg gently mocks the join-the-hype mentality. It is especially relatable for children expecting a younger sibling, while amusing adults with its subtle nod to celebrity culture.

Grade: 1
Fountas & Pinnel: H
Reading Recovery: 13-14
Lexile Measure: AD 30L
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.5,5b,5c,6
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.1,1a,2,3,4,4a,4b
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.1,2,3,4,5,6,7
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.1
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.1,1a,1b,1c,2,4,5,6