A Mysterious Egg

Frank spends his summer at his grandparents’ house in Wyoming. His grandma is a famous paleontologist. When Frank gets a sunburn, his grandma decides he needs to stay inside with his cousin, Samantha. He’s disappointed that he can’t help, but when his grandma finds a fossil of a dinosaur egg, Frank has to keep Samantha from breaking it open. As he’s watching over the egg, an amazing thing happens—a dinosaur hatches. How can Frank and Samantha keep their dinosaur a secret?

Dinosaur enthusiasts will enjoy A Mysterious Egg as it teaches about dinosaurs and the importance of keeping a scientific notebook. Taking care of a baby dinosaur takes a lot of work, and Frank uses his knowledge to create a healthy meal plan for the baby. The easy-to-read story has a simple plot that revolves around hiding the dinosaur. Frank and Samantha are afraid that if anyone finds out about the baby, the dino will be taken away from them. In the end, the adults in the story work together to do what is best for the dino.

A Mysterious Egg will engage younger readers not only because it’s about dinosaurs, but also because of the fast-paced plot and humorous scenes. Many readers will be able to relate to Frank, who is often annoyed with his cousin and doesn’t understand all of his grandmother’s rules. The story portrays a caring family, who shares a passion for dinosaurs and science (except for Samantha who would rather be famous).

Readers who are new to chapter books will enjoy A Mysterious Egg, because of its easy vocabulary, short sentences, and black and white illustrations. The illustrations appear every 2 to 4 pages, which helps break up the text. This story also contains a glossary of dinosaur-related vocabulary at the back of the book. The Dino Files have dinosaur facts scattered throughout the series. A Mysterious Egg has a simple, suspenseful storyline that will encourage readers to pick up the next book in the series, Too Big to Hide.

Sexual Content

• None

Violence

• None

Drugs and Alcohol

• None

Language

• Samantha calls Frank a weenie.

Supernatural

• None

Spiritual Content

• None