Three Rotten Eggs (Hamlet Chronicles) - Hardcover

Maguire, Gregory; Maquire, Gregory

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0618096558 ISBN 13: 9780618096558

Publisher: Clarion Books, 2002

Synopsis

Trouble arrives in Hamlet, Vermont in the form of Thud Tweed, a new kid with a nasty demeanor, who trifles with the outcome of the spring egg hunt, which leads to disaster and the emergence of three genetically manipulated eggs, forcing all of the children, including Thud, to join forces and save the day.

About this title

About the Author:

Gregory Maguire is a popular author of books for both children and adults, including the four previous Hamlet Chronicles and three adult books: Wicked (HarperCollins) and its sequel, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister (Regan Books), and Lost (HarperCollins). He lives in Concord, Massachusetts.

Elaine Clayton is the illustrator of many books for children, including SIX

From School Library Journal:

Grades 4-6--This fifth in the series continues to recount the rivalry between the girls, the Tattletales, and the boys, the Copycats, of Miss Earth's class in rural Vermont. It's an eventful spring for them, with a bullying new student, Thud Tweed; a Spring Egg Hunt; and three genetically altered eggs that hatch fire-breathing chicks. A company called Geneworks is attempting to reverse evolution to create a large, unquestioning workforce that can be rented out at great gain. While seven of the genetically altered eggs, tucked in a briefcase, are en route to researchers at Dartmouth College, a member of Mother Nature's Avengers steals the briefcase just before his motorcycle is struck by lightning. Unbeknownst to anyone, three of the eggs survive, and they are discovered by three of Miss Earth's students during the egg hunt, a competitive fund-raiser for a new fire engine. Miss Earth's class wins, but then is disqualified for lying and cheating. To redeem themselves, the students join together to raise money by putting on a concert by wildly popular country-and-western singer Petunia Whiner, who just happens to be Thud's mother. There is nothing subtle here; silly puns and slapstick humor carry this broad farce. Maguire captures the social politics of middle schoolers, and conveys the message that cooperation, rather than cliques, solves problems. Of the three chicks, one dies, but two remain, one in captivity and one on the loose in the wild. Will they turn up in the next Hamlet Chronicle? Fans of the series will be anxiously anticipating the next delightful romp.
Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0618096558
• ISBN 13: 9780618096558
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192
• Illustrator: Clayton Elaine