Book Discussion Guide
An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long
In An Egg is Quiet, Dianna Aston highlights all of the unique features of eggs! Through beautiful illustrations and descriptive text, your family will be fascinated as you discover how eggs are similar and different, and how they support the creature growing inside. The illustrator uses eyecatching diagrams and graphics to show the diversity of eggs. Your family will learn that each egg is designed specifically to support the animal growing inside. You’ll also learn how the shape, size, color, design, and textures of eggs help the animal to grow healthily! You will love how the authors include dozens of different eggs, labeled by the animal. This is appropriate for a 2nd grade read-aloud, or a 3rd grade independent read supplemented with discussion questions. Whether interested in the natural world or not, An Egg is Quiet will surely captivate the minds of you and your child. You will never look at an egg the same way again.
Questions To Talk About
While Reading
Vocabulary
It's important to make sure that your child has an understanding of key words in the book. Talking about words while reading is a great way for your child to learn new words.
In this book, you might talk about these words:
- buried (pg. 4)
- actual (pg. 5)
- shapely (pg. 8)
- anchor (pg. 8)
- ocean current (pg. 8)
- camouflage (pg. 9)
- remains (pg. 18)
- fossilized (pg. 18)
You might use a question like:
In this book, what does the word buried mean? How do the image and surrounding words help you understand the word buried?
Key Ideas and Themes
In addition to words, it's important to talk about key ideas and themes and how they develop over the course of the book.
Here are some examples to get you started:
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1
The author explains that eggs “sit” in many different places. Have your child identify the different places the author describes. Talk about how the animals’ habitats affect where the eggs sit. Be sure to use the text and illustrations on the third and fourth pages to help you.
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2
The author uses a lot of adjectives to describe an egg, like shapely and clever. What does the author mean when she says, “An egg is shapely?” What does she mean when she says, “An egg is clever”? How does the text help you to find out what she means when she uses these words? How do these words help you understand how the egg helps the animal growing inside?
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3
The author uses wonderful illustrations and diagrams throughout the book to help express her ideas. As you read, draw your child’s attention to them. For example, you might discuss the ruler at the top of pages 11 and 12. How does it clarify the text and illustrations on the pages? Another good example is the diagram on pages 19 and 20. Talk about how it helps you find out how an egg “gives” to its animal.
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4
Throughout the book, the author repeats the phrase, “An egg is quiet.” How does the author use words and pictures to create a different feeling on the last two pages? Now, ask your child why the author chose to make these last pages so different from the rest of the book. Talk about why the author spends so much time talking about the qualities of eggs. What is she trying to tell us about eggs?
Extra Activities
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1
In An Egg is Quiet, the author and illustrator show many types of animals and their eggs. Choose one of these animals for further study. After collecting information about the animal, using the same structure Dianne Aston and Sylvia Longs’ use in their book, write your own informational text about the animal. For example, you might choose the Emperor Penguin. Use adjectives to describe the animal and support your statements with facts and illustrations!
One complete sentence might sound like this:
An Emperor Penguin is brave.In addition to words, it’s important to talk about key ideas and themes and how they develop over the course of the book. Here are some examples to get you started:
Every year, starting in March, Emperor Penguins make a 50-mile migration!
They are the only animal that lives on the Antarctic ice during the freezing winter.
The Emperor Penguin can live in extremely cold temperatures. They can brave wind chill temperatures up to -76 degrees Fahrenheit!Source: http://www.animalfactguide.com/animal-facts/emperor-penguin/
Add illustrations and diagrams to support the facts and ideas. -
2
Along with other animals, the author mentions dinosaurs and their eggs in the book. Use this opportunity to go back in time and find out more about dinosaurs and their eggs. With you child, explore the role that eggs played in what we know and think about dinosaurs.