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Nancy Sherman ~ Edward Sorel
Golden Press, 1961
The travels through my new shopping hood continue... I guess we get so closed up hanging in our own neighborhood that I forget this is the eighth largest city in the country in a Catholic town with a million churches and a thousand church-run thrift shops. The boy and I are having quite a time checking out all the new places after camp. (The boy collects glass birds so in addition to scooping up one that's been on my must-have list, we also found a porcelain partridge and duck set. Score!) Which brings me to this number.
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Above the hilltop crept the sun.
The farmer came. He had a pail.
It bore a sign, "Fresh eggs for sale."
He took each egg and put it in
Until he came to Gwendolyn.
And then he got a huge surprise.
He looked. He stared. He blinked his eyes.
"Oh, no," he cried. "This can't be true!"
The egg she'd laid was green and blue!
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I remember this book from when I was a kid. I regret giving it away when I was grown. I loved the pictures of those colorful eggs! I've been trying to find it somewhere to buy another copy. It took me some time searching on the web until I finally got the real title of the book.
ReplyDeleteThese illustrations are wonderful! Plus, my daughter's name is Gwen, so I'm eager to track down a copy of this book. Thanks for another great post.
ReplyDeleteUgh. I'm always so disappointed to discover that a wonderful book you've reviewed is out-of-print. I'm looking at the used copies of this one offered online. A couple of sites show a book with the same title and publication year (I believe), but a markedly different looking cover. Does anyone know if the interior artwork for that one is the same as the copy reviewed here?
ReplyDeleteI found your blog through a list of others. And I am so thankful! What an amazing site and wonderful resource.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you could help me with a vintage title. When I was much younger my grandmother would read me this one particular book over and over. It was about a little boy and a bathtub full of frogs (or maybe tadpoles). I feel like the title was "Too Many Frogs in the Bathtub" or something similar. Since that time my grandmother has misplaced the book, but I would love to find a copy. Thanks for your help!
It might be one of the Mercer Mayer books in the A Boy, a Dog, and a Frog series (maybe One Frog Too Many)... I know there is a frog in a bathtub in one of those books... Antmusic, help me out! If not, try whatsthatbook.com, the folks on those forums know everything!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book when I was young and was one of the first books that I learned to read. The illustrations were beautiful and the eggs made such an impression on me, they remind me of Pisanki.As a result,today I decorate eggs this way.
ReplyDeleteThis was one of my favorite books growing up. I loved the colorful illustrations and the witty rhymes. This was one of many childhood books that I cherished and I packed it away until I had my son. My son loved reading this book and I still have the original book that was purchased for me as a child. My son is now married and I hope one day to share 'Gwendolyn the miracle hen' with my grandchildren one day.
ReplyDeleteWe loved it too! I'm not suprised copies are selling on line for $600+.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love this book. This is truly a hidden treasure. It really should have received more awards and a bigger distribution. Amazing little book! Thanks for sharing.
I loved this book as a child, so much so,that the book fell apart! As a result of this book, I love to create Pisanki eggs to this day. I finally came across it again and had to purchase it. Now my nieces and nephews will love it as I did.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous.
ReplyDeleteThis was my favorite book as a child. My mother would read it over and over and over again. So much that I memorized it word for word and today at 61 I can still recite the book. I have my original copy which is well-well love. I have to be careful because the last page is falling out. If I could ever run across a copy I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Memorized this book when I was in junior high for our all school public speaking contest...made semi finals and recited before the entire school! Around 1965!
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