Module 6: The Talking Eggs

Book Summary:
This book was almost a Cinderella story. The main character, Blanche, is made to do all the work around the house by her mother and her mean older sister. One day, when she was at the well filling a bucket of water, she met and old woman and gave her a drink. When she got home, her mother punished her because the water wasn’t cold enough. She ran away, and met the old woman again in the woods. She went with the woman to her cabin, where there were strange animals and happenings beyond her imagination. In the morning, she was instructed to gather eggs, but only to pick up the eggs that asked her to take them. There were many different eggs, some in bright colors and with jewels on them, but only the plain eggs were asking to be taken. When she threw these over her shoulder on the way home as instructed, all kinds of fine things came out of the eggs: jewels and fine dresses, and even a horse and cart. When she got home, her mother and sister wanted some fine things too, so her sister went to the old woman’s house. She did not follow the old woman’s instructions, and instead of fine things there were terrible creatures that came out of the eggs she chose. The beasts chased away her and her mother, and they were never able to find the old woman’s cabin again. Blanche went off to the city by herself to be a fine lady.

APA Reference:
San Souci, R. D. (1989). The Talking Eggs. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

My Impressions:
I have never read anything quite like this book. It was very good. It had many themes that are frequently found in children’s stories: the child who has a miserable life, but is still generous and good-hearted; getting a reward for doing the right thing even as they are tempted not to; and of course the villain being punished in the end for not doing the right thing. I loved the imagination of the story, with the strange animals at the old woman’s cabin and the rabbits square dancing in the yard. It was really strange when the old woman took her head off, but it did add to the mystery of the story. I liked that Blanche followed the old woman’s directions even when it did not seem to make sense, and was always rewarded for it. The illustrations in this book were lovely, and although the story could have been told without them, it would not have been as interesting. The artist is excellent at conveying emotions in the paintings, and it really did add to the story. I know that I would really have enjoyed this book if I had read it as a child.

Professional Review:
Schubert, L. (1989, September). The Talking Eggs (Book Review). [Review of the book The Talking Eggs, by R. San Souci]. School Library Journal 35, p. 244. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

 This adaptation of a Creole folktale contains familiar European fairy tale elements, but certainly stands on its own and is a unique contribution to the American folktale repertoire. In imagistic language spiced with Southern folk flavor, San Souci tells of a cruel mother and her two daughters, Blanche and Rose. Rose is just like her mother, while Blanche is good and kind, and consequently abused. One day Blanche meets an old woman and treats her with a ``spirit of do-right.'' Soon they meet again, when Blanche runs away from mistreatment and the old woman takes her back to her house. And what marvels Blanche finds there--a two-headed cow, multi-colored chickens, abundant food from nothing, a hostess who takes off her head to comb her hair (the illustrations spare readers most of this last detail), and a glorious scene of rabbits engaged in country dancing. For being obedient, Blanche is rewarded with magic talking eggs that turn into everything she's ever wanted. As expected, her greedy family wants to get in on the action, but Rose, of course, fails to follow the old woman's instructions, and gets nothing but a plague of snakes, toads, frogs, and the like. This lesson about virtue rewarded and greed punished is illustrated with Pinkney's lush, detailed watercolor and pencil art, which literally interprets the story and provides abundant detail. The characters are black, the setting rural, and the themes universal. --Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier

Library Uses:
This would be a great story to use for an interactive story time with children. With the illustrations it would be one that a group of children could get really interested in. The reader could stop at certain points and ask the children what they think might happen next. For example, the reader could ask the children: “What do think will happen when she throws the eggs over her shoulder? What will come out of them?” Such things as this could encourage the children to use their imaginations. If there is time after the reading, the children could come up with their own drawings: their own egg designs, or their own crazy animals.