Eggs by Jerry Spinelli
Orchard Books, 2007.
(Age 9-13) Another one of Jerry Spinelli's wonderful, quirky books, Eggs uplifts the heart and leaves
the reader with memories of a tale well told. It tells the story of an
unlikely friendship between 9 year old David, grieving after the death
of his mother in a freak accident, and Primrose, a 13 year old, who has
taken herself away from her clairvoyant mother and lives in a caravan
in the yard. The two meet on an Easter egg hunt where David comes
across Primrose lying inert under a pile of leaves, pretending to be
dead. Their unlikely friendship develops and each helps the other deal
with the difficult things in their lives.
Rich characterisation is a feature of Spinelli's work. The reader feels
an immediate bond with David, living with his grandmother, while his
father works away from home, and with Primrose whose only contact with
her father is a photo. Eccentric characters like Refrigerator John and
Madame Dufee bring added enjoyment to the story.
Readers will find it easy to identify with the problem that David and
Primrose share, each having a single parent and how they shun those who
love them. They will delight in their adventures – sneaking out at
night, searching for nightwalkers (maggots) and running off to the
city. The humour of the dialogue and unusual characters lightens the
underlying serious theme of grief and alienation.
I think this book would be a great read aloud and there are many issues
that could be discussed: single parents, grief, immature mothers and
the symbolism of eggs throughout the book and on the cover. Spinelli
has delivered another fine, memorable and enjoyable read.
Pat Pledger
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Consulting, 2007