Multi Colored Chickens and Eggs That Talk - The Talking Eggs, A Folktale from the American South

The Talking Eggs,
A Folktale from the American South
Retold by Robert D. San Souci
Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Laptime: preschool - elementery
Story Circle: kindergarten - elementery

This is a favorite of mine to read to my children and to groups in a story circle. It gives the opening for so many great discussions both about the moral lessons involved and the imaginative world that Blanche enters when she visits the home of the old woman.
This folktale tells us the story of a lazy and greedy mother and daughter and a sweet tempered hard working sister of good character. Like so many folktales it has lessons to be learned as well as what-ifs that spark the imagination. What if eggs talked and chickens were multicolored and multilegged? What if Rabbits really do wear frock- tail coats and trail-train dresses and dance under the full moon?
Robert D. San Souci gives us some background on this Southern Tale:

"The Talking Eggs is adapted from a Creole folktale originally included in a collection of Louisiana storied by the flolklorist Alcee Fortier and published late in the nineteenth century. The tale appears to have its roots in popular European fairy tales, probably brought to Louisiana by French emigres. Variations of the story, with Cajun or Gullah overtones, suggest that it was gradually spread orally through other areas f the American South."

Jerry Pinkney's illustrations in this Caldecott Honor Book were done in pencil, colored pencil and watercolor. They are especially effective when the reader visits the old Aunty's house with Blanche. Spend some time on each picture, don't turn the pages too fast. Both the artist and the author do a wonderful job of capturing the feel of the old south. The book also is a Corretta Scott King Award Honor Book and an ALA Notable Book.

The Talking Eggs - Laptime Lesson Plan Ideas:
Lessons to learn
There are many lessons on life and character in this story. As a parent you choose the lessons that you would like to emphasize. Here are some talking points to get you started:
Look back through the book and talk about the character of each person in the book.

• What is the mother like? Is there anything that you like about the mother? What don't you like about the mother? How would you change the mother's character?
• What is the sister like? How does she treat Blanche? What is unlikeable about Rose? What would you say to Rose if you could talk to her?
• What is Blanche like? What does she do that makes you admire her? How does she treat the people around her with respect?
• What is the most important thing to the Mother and Rose?
• What is the most important thing to Blanche?

Laptime and Story Circle Lesson Plan Idea:
Make some hardboiled eggs for snack. Remember that it was the plain eggs that held the treasures. As you peel and eat the eggs together talk about the kind of wonderful things that you would like to find in your eggs.

The Talking Eggs - Story Circle Lesson Plan Ideas:
Egg Hunt

• Buy some plastic eggs from an arts and crafts store.
• Place a treasure - a stick of gum, a sticker, an eraser - in each egg.
• Hide the eggs on the playground or in the classroom. Don't make it too easy, be tricky.
• Have the children play egg hunt. Remember to tell them how many eggs they may find so that each child has the same number of eggs. You don't want anyone tempted to be a greedy Rose.

If Eggs Could Talk

• Give each child a piece of paper and markers or crayons.
• Ask them to draw a picture of a talking egg. Encourage them to make their egg expressive.
• If the children are readers and writers have them write on their picture what their egg would say to the Mother, Rose and Blanche.
• If the children are not writers yet, have the children dictate to a teacher or helper.

Published by Scholastic Inc.