Author: Billie Pavicic
Illustrator: Susan Gaber
Publisher: Boys Town Press
ISBN: 978-1-944882-33-4
Pages: 31
Price: $10.95
Parker Plum wakes up with a small green egg on his pillow. He’s used to strange things happening, so he puts it in his pocket. Then he gets grumpy when he finds out he’s not having his favorite breakfast, and the egg grows slightly. He misses the bus and arrives late to school. His grumpiness grows, as does the egg. As each thing happens that he doesn’t like, his mood becomes worse and worse, and the egg becomes enormous.
Finally, a lunch lady recognizes the problem, and explains to Parker that the egg is his rotten egg thoughts. He has the power to shrink it by changing his thoughts. She guides him by asking two questions: Can I change this? Are there any good parts hidden in the bad? After reviewing the miserable day he’s having, he sees that he can change his mood by changing his thoughts. And when Parker faces a new challenge later in the day, he is able to put these lessons into practice – BEFORE he causes a new rotten green egg to form.
Parker Plum and the Rotten Egg Thoughts explains how to handle disappointments in a fun and easy to understand manner. In seeing the oversized green egg, kids can laugh at the silliness of the situation, while also learning from Parker’s mistakes. This is a wonderful teaching tool for home and classroom.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews 