Little Owl's egg by Debi Gliori

Ill. by Alison Brown. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408853795
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Little Owl is surprised and a little jealous when Mother Owl announces there is a new baby owl inside the egg Mummy has lain. He wants to remain Little Owl and is scared there won't be enough of his mother's love to share with a new baby as well.
Clever Mummy decides a walk in the woods with the egg safely in its nest pusher will help. Little Owl is adamant: 'I'm your baby owl. You don't need a new one'. Mummy pretends the egg will hatch into an array of different creatures. Is it wiggly worm crawling underground, a chocolate egg, a penguin eating a fish on the freezing ice or a baby crocodile? Each suggestion is met with a negative response from Little Owl, not a baby crocodile, until Mummy suggests an elephant, and Little Owl loves the idea of water fights! There's the suggestion of a dragon, much to Mummy's horror and a wonderful imaginary creature who eats eighty legged snort beans and green tubers. As they return to their home in the tree, Little Owl contemplates all the suggestions and comes to an important realisation that a baby owl may be the best thing of all.
Alison Brown's charming creatures take on human characteristics and show a range of emotions as Mummy Owl and Little Owl venture through the green woodland. Her paintings delightfully depict Debi Gliori's humourous narrative and fantastic story. A story to share before a new sibling arrives.
Rhyllis Bignell