- Picture Books
- Ages 2–6
- Comedy
The Odd Egg
Part of the Emily Gravett universeOpen the collection
A witty, beautifully timed picture book about a duck who finds an egg that is definitely not like the others. Very strong for preschool read-alouds, visual jokes, split pages and surprise endings.
- Best for2–6
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Repetitive
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Warm
- Gentle
- Heartwarming
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
All the birds have eggs except Duck, so when Duck finds an enormous, beautiful, spotty egg, he is delighted. The other birds are not impressed, and each waits proudly for their own egg to hatch. Emily Gravett uses split pages and simple visual timing to create the comedy, as different eggs hatch one by one and Duck's odd egg remains mysterious. The final reveal is funny, surprising and just a little bit cheeky, making it exactly the sort of ending children want to revisit. The Odd Egg is accessible for very young readers, but the design is clever enough for adults to admire. It is especially good for children who like animals, eggs, birds, page turns, visual jokes and stories about being different without being made to feel wrong.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 2–6
- Read aloud · 2–7
- Independent · 5–7
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
5 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Preschool read aloud
- Visual jokes
- Eggs and birds
- Surprise endings
- Funny animals
Avoid if
- Wants complex emotional theme
- Dislikes surprise creature gags
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Low self esteem
- Starting nursery or preschool
- Making friends
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A funny read-aloud about a duck hatching something unexpected — a story-time hit with a gentle nudge about difference and belonging.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific delight is the page-cuts — all the birds with eggs except Duck, Duck finding an enormous spotty one, each other bird's egg hatching in turn through clever split pages, the final reveal cheeky and surprising. The Emily Gravett with the perfect picture-book gag ending.
- Animal companions
- Family belonging
- Transformation
Why parents love it
The Emily Gravett split-page comedy — simple visual timing, surprise finale that rewards revisits, accessible for very young readers and admirably designed for the adult. Strong for the being-different-without-being-wrong conversation.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
- Bedtime appropriate
- Beautiful illustrations
About the author & illustrator
Emily Gravett.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
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- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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