School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--In this Dutch import, a little egg rolls out of the nest and hatches halfway from its shell, revealing only a pair of webbed feet and curious eyes. Echoing P. D.Eastman's classic Are You My Mother?, the baby bird encounters a number of different creatures, including a caterpillar, a horse, and a hen, asking each "Are you my mommy?" In a noticeable departure from the classic, when a hungry magpie threatens the egg, it is the father swan who rescues the young one, returning the escapee to their nest and reassuring that "Daddies can do everything," and that the egg will become "a beautiful little swan." Like the tone of the story, Praagman's spare graphic illustrations set against solid colored backgrounds mix vintage feel with modern sensibility. VERDICT A quiet and cozy tale with a subtle paradigm shift.--Yelena Voysey
Kirkus Review
Are You My Mother? but with a significant twist. Everything old is new again in this clever take on a familiar story. A little egg goes "Bump, bump, bump, bump" out of its nest and down a hill. At the bottom, two tiny feet pop out, as does a space for the eyes. The egg then goes walking in an attempt to locate its mother. Sound familiar? Wait. With each animal it meets--a caterpillar (who has too many legs), a horse (who already has a baby)--the egg realizes that they cannot possibly be related. Even the chicken isn't quite right, and the magpie just wants to eat the egg. When a large swan appears, scaring off the magpie, it becomes clear that it isn't a mother the egg has been seeking, but a father. "Can daddies hatch eggs, too?" "Daddies can do everything." This Dutch import has a classic feel thanks in large part to gentle art resembling printmaking and the occasional alluring pattern. Within the confines of a story we've heard before, Praagman has crafted a marvelous fatherhood tale that upsets those old expectations in just the right way. You don't have to be a daddy to appreciate this stirring single-dad tale (a rarity of its kind). (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
