Duck and Goose by Tad Hills. 

This is one of my favorite picture books in a long, long time.  It has been added to the rather short of list of “I will use this in story times for the next decade” books.  It is the story of a small duck and a small goose who discover a strange polka-dot egg sitting in the grass.  The two of them argue together about whose egg it is.  Duck saw it first, but Goose touched it first.  They eventually agree to sit on it together to keep it warm.  It isn’t until a little blue bird comes along and tells them it is a ball that the Duck and Goose are let in on the joke.  Children on the other hand will have figured it out from the beginning.

The art of the book is perfect for children.  Humorous, silly, and clever.  And it  matches the text, because the words are also silly and clever and just right for children. 

If you are looking for a great Easter basket stuffer, this book would be it, though it isn’t an Easter book.  Use it in any spring storytime, but it is good enough to bring out in the fall too when the geese are flying south overhead.  I know it is one that I will turn to time and time again for story time.  I just have to come up with more themes to suit it.  🙂