Tillie Lays an Egg

Why wait for Easter to have an egg hunt? In her debut children’s book, cookbook author Golson leads readers on a tour of her Massachusetts home, where one of the chickens is looking for the perfect place to lay eggs. While the other six hens are content to use the henhouse, Tillie tries different spots on for size over the course of a week—from the farmhouse porch (“Yuck, this worm is very dry,” muses Tillie, shown pecking at a bootlace) and the breakfast table to the laundry room. “Where has Tillie laid her egg?” prompts the text on several pages; children will have little trouble accomplishing the implied task. In an added visual treat, the photographed scenes are packed with Golson’s own chicken-motif treasures—glassware, tins, vintage board games—and invite close exploration. Text and photos appear in bordered boxes; these are set against pastel wallpapers with country patterns—a pleasant contrast to Fink’s crisp photography. At least one hen peeks in on the action on each spread, and the closeup shots of their wide-eyed faces add an unexpectedly funny note. Full of charm. Ages 4–8. (Jan.)