P. Zonka Lays an Egg

Paschkis presents one possible origin for Ukrainian pysanky. The chickens dismiss P. Zonka as a dreamer, more concerned with flowers, clouds, and the sky's colors than with egg-laying duty. Cajoled into laying an egg, P. Zonka surprises everyone: her egg contains all the colors and shapes she sees in nature. Paschkis's watercolors are filled with repeated patterns and beautiful use of black outlines.

Have you ever wondered where the tradition of those beautiful Ukrainian pysanky comes from? Paschkis presents one possibility. She spins an old-timey tale about five chickens -- Maud, Dora, Nadine, Gloria, and P. Zonka -- two of whom do not lay eggs. It turns out that Gloria is a rooster. But P. Zonka frustrates the other chickens, who wonder why she is not doing her duty. She is dismissed as a dreamer, more concerned with flowers, clouds, and the colors of the sky. Cajoled into trying to lay an egg, P. Zonka finally succeeds, but her egg surprises everyone. This is no ordinary egg! The egg she produces contains all the colors and shapes she sees in nature: sun yellow, grass green, tulip red, and "blues as bright as day and blues as dark as midnight." Paschkis's watercolors are filled with repeated patterns and a beautiful use of black outlines. Some pages contain brightly colored backgrounds while on others, colors pop off bright white backgrounds. One especially stunning double-page spread (on which P. Zonka tells the poetic story of why she does not lay eggs) is bathed in blue; the text box is egg-shaped, and the whole spread is bordered on each side with trees and plants that form an oval. P. Zonka's lesson is gently delivered: take time to produce something you will be proud of. robin smith