What does it mean to be a “good egg?” The four characters in this book learn all about it! In this first installment of the Eggs series, we meet Seggourney, Reggie, Megg, and Greggory at the beginning of a new school year in their town of Albumen. Everything is going great, but as the year goes on, friendships will be tested. Will the friends persevere? 

The Good Eggs, by S. Ciara Mitaro, introduces young readers to the plucky characters who go on to further adventures in The Good Eggs Travel the World and The Good Eggs in the Community. The four friends are challenged by the arrival of some new friends – Benedict and Penny – and they must explore a series of virtues in order to understand and help their new schoolmates. 

As the plot progresses, Mitaro seamlessly focuses each chapter on a new virtue, including acceptance, responsibility, understanding, honesty, confidence, and more. Throughout the chapter, the featured virtue is printed in bold, so that young readers can pay special attention to the idea and how it’s expressed. Knowing the vocabulary of each virtue along with the characteristics is a great way to help the ideas stick.

And for adults reading along, the puns in the title, character names, and locations are just an added bonus! I, for one, chuckled when we met the new teacher, Ms. Poach. The chapters are great for bedtime reading; each contains a short episode so readers get the satisfaction of knowing what happens next. 

Perfect for early readers who are just beginning to explore chapter books, The Good Eggs (and the second two books in the series) are a great way to teach values in the midst of an engaging plot. That’s not always easy to do! As a mom, I love when my kids can enjoy something that helps them learn  – it’s a win for everyone!

Plus – for every book you purchase, another is donated to kids in need. So cool!