cover image Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be?

Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be?

Janet Halfmann, illus. by Betsy Thompson. Blue Apple (Random, dist.), $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-60905-191-4

Matte cut-paper collages with wood-grain, paper, fabric, and other textures illustrate this nature-themed counting book. On the left-hand pages, words curve above and below large numbers, mimicking the subject matter: eggs and the hatchlings inside, which include newborn platypus, robins, turtles, and more. “Nine eggs, round and black, safe in shimmering jelly, floating on the pond. Who will the babies be?” reads one spread. Gatefolds open to the right or upward, revealing the answers: “9 frog tadpoles, breathing with feathery gills and swishing finny tails.” Charming and lovingly designed entertainment. Ages 3–up. (June)