It hits readers with every emotion possible, from despair to hope, and entertains them along the way. The descriptions of the town are colorful, and the well-developed minor characters add extra life to the story.Īnyone who has lost a parent or been estranged from one will find much to relate to in EGGS. But this book isn't a downer-between the spats and the melancholy moments there's plenty of humor to be had.

Its slow, contemplative pace will appeal to thoughtful readers. The novel is more about revealing the characters and watching them interact and develop than any specific event. The way he deals with his pain and slowly comes to terms with it is heartbreaking and believable. However, as he spends time with Primrose, who both fascinates him and angers him, her big-sisterly influence starts to soften him up. He turns the cold shoulder on his caring grandmother and deliberately provokes her, as well as pushing away any other kids' attempts at friendship. Since the death of his mother, he has been obsessed with rules and rigidity. Most of the chapters focus on David, who is a hard character to like. For David and Primrose, that's easier said than done.Īs their awkward friendship develops from a strange meeting during an Easter egg hunt to late-night worm catching and finally a trek along a railway line, they badger each other and fight and eventually find a sort of peace.

Reviewed by Lynn Crow for ĮGGS is a novel of lost souls-a boy who has lost his mother and a girl who wishes she could lose hers, both who more than anything need a human connection.

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli