The surprise begins with an egg which cracks open under the watchful eye of a little boy, immediately recognized as "mama" by the fluffy yellow chick who emerges. It continues with five duck eggs which "mama" generously places in the chicken's empty nest some months later. Each generation has a slightly different way of doing things but all live together happily, awaiting the next surprise. Lynn Reiser's excellent pacing is accomplished with a patterned text and an outstanding design and layout, illustrated by cheerfully colored watercolor and pen-and-ink paintings. (Ages 3-6)

Once upon a time, there was a chicken. Her mother was a boy, who took good care of her. When she was grown, she found a clutch of eggs and nurtured the hatchlings, even though they were not the babies she expected.