Last One in Is a Rotten Egg!: An Easter And Springtime Book For Kids

by Diane deGroat, Diane deGroat (Illustrator)

Overview

Gilbert and Lola are excited that their cousin Wally is coming for a visit—just in time for the Easter egg hunt! But soon they learn how competitive Wally has become. He has to be the fastest, be the first in line, and find the most eggs, no matter who gets hurt. How can Gilbert deal with such relentless rivalry?

In this humorous and encouraging story by Diane deGroat, Gilbert—everyone’s favorite opossum—teaches Wally who the rotten egg really is!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780060892968
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/25/2011
Series:	Gilbert
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	373,430
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Diane deGroat is the illustrator of more than 120 children's books and the author-illustrator of bestselling books about Gilbert, including Ants in Your Pants, Worms in Your Plants! (Gilbert Goes Green); April Fool! Watch Out at School!; Mother, You're the Best! (But Sister, You're a Pest!); Last One in Is a Rotten Egg!; and the New York Times bestseller Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink. Diane lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Diane deGroat is the illustrator of more than 120 children's books and the author-illustrator of bestselling books about Gilbert, including Ants in Your Pants, Worms in Your Plants! (Gilbert Goes Green); April Fool! Watch Out at School!; Mother, You're the Best! (But Sister, You're a Pest!); Last One in Is a Rotten Egg!; and the New York Times bestseller Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink. Diane lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

Children will relate to the story, which imparts a gentle lesson on how to be a friend.” — School Library Journal

“deGroat’s artwork and story have a benign, empathetic cast to them, so the moral eases into the proceedings without becoming heavy handed.” — Kirkus Reviews

“deGroat’s many fans will welcome another book about Gilbert.” — ALA Booklist

From the Publisher

deGroat’s artwork and story have a benign, empathetic cast to them, so the moral eases into the proceedings without becoming heavy handed.

Stephanie Garber

deGroat’s many fans will welcome another book about Gilbert.

ALA Booklist

Gilbert and Lola are excited that their cousin Wally is coming to help with the Easter egg hunt in the park in Last One in Is a Rotten Egg! by Diane deGroat. But when Lola finds the prized golden egg high up in a tree and asks tall Wally to help her retrieve it, Wally claims it for himself. But Gilbert finds a way to set things right. Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 2
In this 10th book about Gilbert, the young opossum and his sister are excited about their cousin's visit. They soon realize, however, that having Wally around isn't as much fun as they had imagined. He is so competitive that he turns everything into a contest. "Last one in is a rotten egg" is his favorite phrase, which he yells while running to beat the others at whatever activity is taking place, even getting to the lunch table first. The children attend an Easter egg hunt and Wally fills his basket quickly while Gilbert takes the time to help his little sister search for eggs. Lola spots the golden egg, which signifies a prize, but neither she nor Gilbert can reach it high in a tree. Wally takes it from its perch but instead of giving it to Lola, keeps it for himself. In the end, Lola wins her prize, Wally learns to share, and the three become friends. Pastel, cartoon-style watercolor illustrations depict the activities while revealing the small town's populace made up of raccoons, porcupines, rabbits, cats, and dogs. Children will relate to the story, which imparts a gentle lesson on how to be a friend.
—Maryann H. OwenCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Having been the principal in ten heartening, gently didactic books from deGroat, Gilbert is a familiar face by now: He's the one who looks like Albert Einstein, had Einstein been a young opossum. Gilbert has learned to deal with bullies and the dark, with fibbing and smelly feet, and here he must contend with his hyper-competitive cousin, Wally. An Easter egg hunt is the perfect venue for him to flex his rivalrous muscles, but Wally is not content simply to vie with his cousins to find more eggs; he gets cutthroat about it, even nasty if it means gaining the coveted golden egg. Gilbert exploits Wally's reckless need to always be first to deliver him his comeuppance. Gilbert is not only finding his way in the world, he's doing a bit of teaching as well. DeGroat's artwork and story have a benign, empathetic cast to them, so the moral eases into the proceedings without becoming heavy handed. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews