Review by Booklist Review
P. Zonka is a unique sort of hen. The other hens, though, find her frustrating and deplore her refusal to lay eggs. After all, that's what hens do! Instead, P. Zonka gazes at the sky and exclaims in wonder at the colors of the grass and tulips. At the hens' insistence, she agrees to try to lay an egg, but the egg she produces is not of the typical variety: There were patterns of sun yellow, grass green, tulip red. There were blues as bright as day and blues as dark as midnight. This ranks along books such as Leo Lionni's Frederick (1968) that celebrate artistic dreaminess over conformity and remind us that good things are worth waiting for. Vibrant watercolors pull our attention to nature's beauty the way P. Zonka sees it: spectacular! In a brief endnote, the author-illustrator explains her inspiration: a Ukrainian tradition of decorating eggs called pysanky.--Chaudhri, Amina Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
All of the chickens on the farm are efficient, regular egg-layers: "Maud laid one egg every day. Dora laid an egg every other day. Nadine always laid exactly five eggs a week." The only exception (other than Gloria, who "turned out to be a rooster") is henhouse romantic P. Zonka. Why won't she lay eggs? "Because of the pale mornings, the soft dark moss, the stripes on the crocuses, the orange cat with one blue eye, the shining center of the dandelion, the sky at midnight," she rhapsodizes about her farmyard surroundings. When P. Zonka finally does lay an egg, it's as extraordinary as its poetic creator ("There were patterns of sun yellow, grass green, tulip red. There were blues as bright as day and blues as dark as midnight"). Paschkis's (Apple Cake) curling lines form floral patterns, chicken feathers, and rooster plumes, evoking the decorations on Ukrainian pysanky Easter eggs, which she describes in an endnote (and which give P. Zonka her name). A lyrical and lushly illustrated allegory about creativity and taking time to notice beauty. Ages 4-8. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreK-Gr 2-P. Zonka lives on a farm where all of the other chickens lay eggs regularly as expected. She spends her time taking in the wonder of all she sees, especially the colors of her world. When she finally decides to try to lay an egg, the result is amazing! Children will enjoy listening to this sweet story about being unique and taking time to notice the world's beauty. An endnote is given describing the inspiration for the book, Paschkis's own experiences decorating Ukrainian Easter eggs in a process known as pysanky. Narrated by Elizabeth Morton, the CD offers two versions of the story, the second of which includes page-turn signals. VERDICT This would make a great addition for use at a listen center or for a read-along activity. ["A first-rate selection for most collections": SLJ 2/15 starred review of the Peachtree book.]-Rebecca Flannery, Memorial School, East Hampton, CT © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Have you ever wondered where the tradition of those beautiful Ukrainian pysanky comes from? Paschkis presents one possibility. She spins an old-timey tale about five chickens -- Maud, Dora, Nadine, Gloria, and P. Zonka -- two of whom do not lay eggs. It turns out that Gloria is a rooster. But P. Zonka frustrates the other chickens, who wonder why she is not doing her duty. She is dismissed as a dreamer, more concerned with flowers, clouds, and the colors of the sky. Cajoled into trying to lay an egg, P. Zonka finally succeeds, but her egg surprises everyone. This is no ordinary egg! The egg she produces contains all the colors and shapes she sees in nature: sun yellow, grass green, tulip red, and "blues as bright as day and blues as dark as midnight." Paschkis's watercolors are filled with repeated patterns and a beautiful use of black outlines. Some pages contain brightly colored backgrounds while on others, colors pop off bright white backgrounds. One especially stunning double-page spread (on which P. Zonka tells the poetic story of why she does not lay eggs) is bathed in blue; the text box is egg-shaped, and the whole spread is bordered on each side with trees and plants that form an oval. P. Zonka's lesson is gently delivered: take time to produce something you will be proud of. robin smith (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Hen P. Zonka annoys the other chickens in the yard: Instead of laying eggs, she spends her time carefully observing, and marveling at, the natural world around her. At the start, readers learn the egg-laying habits of hens Maud, Dora and Nadine. Only Gloria is exempt from egg-laying expectations, "because he turned out to be a rooster. It was his job and he did it well." When the other hens press P. Zonka to explain why she won't lay an egg, a particularly vibrant double-page spread illustrates her poetic list of reasons: "I will tell you why," it opens, ending with, "the orange cat with one blue eye, the shining center of a dandelion, the sky at midnight." Unconvinced, her feathered cohorts pressure P. Zonka to at least try to lay an egg, and she finally doeswith a result that surprises and delights everyone. Every page turn reveals a stunning new composition of fowls with personality, baskets of eggs and floral design elements evocative ofof coursethe beautiful folk art found on a Ukrainian decorated egg, also known as a pysanka. Even those who do not appreciate the play on words are sure to enjoy this tale of the dividends of daydreaming, beautifully enhanced by colors and designs that shout "Spring!" to a winter-weary world. Charming, unusual and sure to induce smiles. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
