The Good Egg (Jory John & Pete Oswald)

Hello, friends! Our book today is The Good Egg by Jory John and Pete Oswald, a comedic yet poignant tale about the importance of self-care.

The unnamed narrator introduces himself on the first page as a Good Egg (he is in the process of rescuing a kitty from a tree as he does). This very good egg is always helping people, volunteering to assist with painting houses or carrying groceries or watering plants… with earnest, if mixed, results. He’s been this way always, even from his early days at the store, where he was one of a dozen eggs – and the only good egg of the bunch. His siblings are troublemakers and rule-breakers, and while Good Egg does his best to clean their messes and keep the peace, the stress of being the only voice of reason begins to wear on him. One day, he wakes with cracks in his shell, a sure sign of the impossible pressure he’s put on himself. Knowing that he has to make a change, he bids farewell to his rowdy siblings and embarks on a journey of self-care. At first it’s lonely, but soon he learns how to put himself first, and begins to heal.

Empowering and sweet. In this creative story, John and Oswald explore the importance of putting ourselves first once in a while, and understanding that not everyone can or wants to rise to our personal standards. It’s a simple message and a necessary one, especially in a time in which readers young AND old place so much pressure on themselves to be perfect. Good Egg eventually returns to his carton-mates, who have genuinely missed him, and he learns to balance taking care of others with taking care of himself – a subtle nod to how the people we love may not always be perfect, and that’s okay because NO ONE is. All we can do is our best, for each other and ourselves. The art is adorable, soft and simple yet filled with comedic beats that match the punny text well. The length is great, and JJ really liked this one. An important read for any perfectionist, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!