Eggs Mark the Spot

In this lighthearted companion to The Easter Egg Farm, Pauline the hen reveals a rare talent: if she concentrates on an image while laying an egg, the image appears on the eggshell. Asked to copy paintings hanging in a gallery onto her eggs, Pauline creates her own variations on masterpieces by the likes of Matisse, Van Gogh, Klee and Picasso. The resourceful hen also helps apprehend a thief who tries to make off with a Degas. Auch recreates the famous paintings with impressive fidelity, offering a sturdy contrast to her otherwise fanciful illustrations. Much of the humor is rooted in Pauline's frustration, comically conveyed in her facial expressions, at the humans' inability to decipher her ""Henspeak,"" in which she attempts to communicate the whereabouts of the cluckprit-uh, culprit. Ages 5-8. (Mar.)