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Who Will Hatch?
AnimalsAges 5–7

Who Will Hatch?

by ReadRead · 4 min read

Tap, tap, crack! Three chicks hatch, the big blue egg rolls away, and out pops a duckling. A barnyard story about belonging and a big cuddle.

10pop-up spreads
56things to tap
2new words
Words in this book
hatchcuddleafteralonebackbarnbluebrown
Peek inside

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Inside the book

Henny the hen sits on her nest in a cozy red barn: three small brown eggs and one big blue one. Tap, tap, crack! Peep, Cheep and Tweet hatch, and Henny gives them a warm cuddle. But the big blue egg rolls right out of the nest to the barn door, and everyone has to push it back. When it hatches at last, out pops a little duck! Doodle feels different and sits all alone, until Henny opens her wings for everyone.

A little duckling pops out of the big blue egg in Who Will Hatch?
A little duckling pops out of the big blue egg in Who Will Hatch?
Henny the hen on her nest of eggs in the cozy barn.
Henny the hen on her nest of eggs in the cozy barn.
The big blue egg rolls away to the barn door.
The big blue egg rolls away to the barn door.
Night in the barn: Henny cuddles her four little ones under the moon.
Night in the barn: Henny cuddles her four little ones under the moon.

The two new words

hatch

When a baby bird breaks out of its egg. It comes up 8 times, and on the page the eggs really rock, crack, flip off their tops and let a chick (or a duckling) pop out.

cuddle

To hold someone close in a warm, loving hug. It comes up 7 times: Henny opens her wings, the little ones lean in and hearts float up; on the game page your child brings everyone in for the cuddle.

A little refrain comes back again and again (“Tap, tap, crack!” and “Who will hatch?”), so a pre-reader can join in by page four. Every other word is a common word, like hen, egg, nest, chick, duck and barn.

Questions to ask while you read

Pause after each spread and ask one question. There are no right answers; the point is to get your child talking.

  1. 1How many eggs can you see? Which one is different?
  2. 2How does Henny keep her eggs warm?
  3. 3Who hatches first? What does Peep say?
  4. 4How many chicks are there now?
  5. 5Oh no! Where is the big blue egg going?
  6. 6How do the chicks help? Can you push like them?
  7. 7Who pops out of the blue egg? Were you surprised?
  8. 8Why does Doodle feel sad? What does Henny say?
  9. 9Tap and cuddle: who comes in under Henny’s wings?
  10. 10Who is sleeping in the nest? Who says quack?

Tips for parents

  • First time: use Read to me and let your child just listen and watch.
  • Before page seven, stop and ask “Who do you think is inside the big blue egg?”
  • Say the refrain together and tap the table: “Tap, tap, crack!”
  • At bedtime, open your arms like Henny’s wings and say “Come and cuddle!”
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