THE SEARCH FOR THE MAGICAL EGG

In Morrison’s debut picture book, Sheldon the turtle’s parents tell the story of how they obtained the egg that produced him.

One day Sheldon the turtle is swimming when he sees Tina, another turtle, tucking in her freshly laid eggs. Curiosity piqued, he asks his parents where babies come from. Mom tells him babies come from eggs. Sheldon’s parents explain that they tried to have a hatchling, but all their eggs broke. Their family doctor, known as Dr. Inky, suggested asking a sea creature for an egg. Christina the Crab, Jenny the Jellyfish, and Simon the Seahorse all offered their eggs, but none seemed right. Then, Tina the Turtle swam over and gave them an egg. Sheldon’s mom said she kept the egg warm until it cracked, and Sheldon popped out. “I’m glad you picked my egg,” says Sheldon. Pamintuan’s underwater illustrations recall the graphics in the film Finding Nemo. He perfectly depicts the turtle family’s disappointment at not producing a hatchling but also their joy at finding an appropriate egg. Morrison’s heartfelt story could be an effective way to explain to kids difficult concepts like egg donation, but there is no explanation of egg fertilization or animal mating. Also, this book probably won’t be ideal for a family with children born from a biological father and a donor egg.

A well-conceived fertility lesson that explains egg donation and embryo adoption.