Vibrant illustrations complement an upbeat story about a porcupine who wants to paint Easter eggs with her friends but has forgotten a key ingredient.
Penny Porcupine is all set to paint eggs for Easter when Willard Warthog and Tubby Turtle ask to join, and then point out she doesn’t have any eggs to paint. Penny realizes she’s forgotten this important element, and the friends set out to find some eggs. They ask a goose, a turtle, and a hawk, but unfortunately for Penny, none of the mothers are keen to hand over their unhatched children for an art project.
As Penny despairs, Tubby devises a plan and asks for time to put it into play. He goes back to all the mothers with the secret idea, and the next morning Penny is surprised when they show up with their hatched little ones in tow. Tubby explains that they shall paint the babies and let them run around so they can have an Easter baby hunt. The group—including the hatchlings—have a wonderful time, and all is well.
The full-page illustrations are bright and full of strong colors, with anthropomorphic animals that suit the lighthearted story. The narrative could have been tightened to better serve early readers, but overall, the story is easy to follow.
The book offers an important lesson on the value of friendship but misses an opportunity to guide readers through the process of solving a problem, as readers are kept in the dark while Tubby whispers to the mother animals and later unveils his plan. Additionally, the idea of painting the newborn babies seems somewhat inappropriate.
These are quibbles, however. Overall, this is a fun tale with a happy ending. What? No Easter Eggs? will likely spark a chuckle or two from its young readers.
Also available as an ebook.
