Hunwick’s Egg is a heart-warming story about a little old bilby named Hunwick who lives on the edge of an Australian desert. One day after a terrible, terrible storm where '(t)he world was tossed inside out and upside down', Hunwick stumbles across an egg. After no-one claims it as their own, Hunwick nudges it into his burrow and decides to take care of it himself.
As he waits and waits for it to hatch he grows terribly fond of his egg and it becomes a loyal companion and a good friend. “The egg was a good friend to Hunwick. It listened well. And it was always there.”
Time goes by and Hunwick’s egg does not hatch. His neighbours worry about him, but Hunwick isn’t bothered. He’s realized the truth about his friend and it makes no difference to the way he feels about it. Hunwick loves his new friend not for what it is, but for what it does for him. And that makes him happy.
This is another wonderful story by Mem Fox with a strong message about acceptance, friendship and love. It has a theme that is easy for children to grasp, but I found it also has a deeper meaning about companionship, loneliness and longing that resonates with adults as well.
The characters in the book are all Australian animals and are brought to life beautifully by Pamela Lofts. There are also gorgeous pictures of Australian native fauna too.
This book isn’t technically a book about Easter, but it is about a bilby and an egg (of sorts) and you don’t get more 'Australian' Easter than that. It’s also a book about love and sacrifice and acceptance and being looked after no matter what, and I think those ideas are nice to think about at this time of year too.
Title: Hunwick’s Egg
Author: Mem Fox
Illustrator: Pamela Lofts
Publisher: Penguin, A$14.95
Publication Date: 28 February 2011
ISBN: 9780143501350
Format: Soft cover
Type: Picture Book
- this review by Belinda Butler
