Picture Book Friday

Hattie Peck: The Journey Home by Emma Levey is a lovely story of diversity and the true meaning of family.

Hattie Peck returns in this follow-up book as she faces that parental moment of saying good-bye to the hatchlings that she saved and raised.  Unable to have eggs of her own, she collected the abandoned eggs of birds, reptiles, even a platypus. Raising her extraordinary blended family proves to be a mix of fun and chaos, but Hattie meets each challenge with wisdom and humor.

But at last the moment comes when her brood must leave home and make their way in the world. True to form, Hattie Peck shepherds her flock through stormy seas, up mountains, down underground, and through wind, rain and snow until each hatchling is settled into a new life. In a melancholy moment, she finds herself now with an empty nest, but life has  a splendid new surprise waiting just for her!

The lively text and bold colors make this a fun read-aloud. The subtle message never intrudes on the story’s exuberance. Simple language will make this a favorite with new readers. The imaginative and often large-scale illustrations contain just the right amount of detail to encourage new discoveries with closer examination.