Our Books
The Enormous Egg, by Oliver Butterworth (1956)
Such a simple fantasy - you'd almost call it timeless. But Oliver Butterworth doesn't play it for fantasy. He has something else in mind - and its effective enough that this little chestnut just celebrated its 50th birthday - and is now charming and invigorating families and schools districts in the 21st century.
Young Nate Twitchell lives on a farm in New Hampshire. His days are filled with chores and his ambitions center on his responsibilities. Until the day one of his hens lays an unusual egg - a pre-historic egg - a Paleolithic egg... And that's when Nate's oddysey begins.
Butterworth doesn't play it for laughs. He brings in some science on dinosaurs and diets and pre-historic times - but it's never heavy or tendentious. There's even a professor or two, but what they have to say is always filtered through Nate's perspective and understanding - so it's simple enough that even 1st graders can understand it.
Which means that readers of all ages will identify with Nate as he ventures to Washington D.C. - and be equally charmed and amused and thrilled by the prospect of walking your dinosaur on the National Mall!
When things turn serious - Butterworth puts the ethical burden - the decision on what to do that's right and wrong - and how to push for it - on Nate's shoulders. The simplicity and bluntness - the accessibility - of Nate's speech - may turn out to be a template for student election speeches for a quick generation of elementary school students in your district.
Which makes The Enormous Egg an easy book for your district - students and parents alike - to investigate. It will lead all to a sure and simple understanding of students' priorities.
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There are five supplementary resources for Oliver Butterworth's The Enormous Egg:
- a sample letter home to parents
- a sample reading schedule
- a Trivia Bank
- a list of suggested activities
- suggested assembly ideas
As a participating member of One School, One Book you may have access to all of these documents. Here are some samples:
- Letter Home
- Reading Schedule
- Assembly Ideas
- Trivia Bank
- Suggested Activities