Bently & Egg

Bentley Hopperton was a happy frog. He enjoyed life, especially when he got to sing to his best friend, the widowed duck Kack Kack. Then one day his anatine friend laid an egg, and all of her attention seemed to be taken up by this new addition. Bentley wasn't particularly enthusiastic, when Kack Kack left the egg in his care one day, but he reluctantly agreed to watch it. The madcap adventure which ensued, when his charge was eggnapped by a boy who mistook it for an Easter egg, and the many travails through which Bentley passed, in order to bring Kack Kack's offspring safely home, proved that in the end, this frog had a soft spot for the egg after all...

A sweet, humorous story, Bentley & Egg highlights a number of issues - the jealousy show more that children sometimes feel, for instance, when their friends make additional friends, or when a new sibling arrives in the family - that will strike a chord with the picture-book set. This being a William Joyce picture-book, of course, means that there is also a fantastical adventure story to enjoy, and children will find Bentley's quest quite entertaining. The artwork, done in acrylic paint, is soft and pastel-hued, perfect for an Easter-time book. Recommended to William Joyce fans, and to those looking for children's stories about friendship, or that have a (somewhat tangential) Easter setting. show less

Bently has been given an important task of keeping an eye on his friend, a duck named Kack Kack, has recently laid. She is off to see her sister and her new ducklings. Bently does not want to egg sit, but his friend takes such good care of him that he feels it's his duty. He decides to paint the unhatched egg. In doing so, Bently attracts a little boy to the egg. The little boy thinks the egg is an Easter egg and quickly snatches it as a prize. Once Bently realizes how sad Kack Kack will be when she finds her egg is missing, he sets off on an adventure to rescue the unhatched duckling from the little boy.

Friendship is a very strong topic in this story. It also shows responsibility and taking risks. This sweet story could help a child who is struggling with a new baby coming into the family or even a child struggling with making friends. William Joyce still uses the imagination of the reader to carry out the little details of the story. There is a sweet and satisfying ending that William Joyce always has in his books.

Too much for preschoolers, in fact probably better for ages 8 up. But what do I know - I'm just not a huge fan of Joyce, despite the fact that I can imagine why others are.

Really, extremely long but very pretty. Bentley the frog goes on a quest to save his friends egg.