Except If

by Jim Averbeck

In the beginning, there is an egg. Which may become a baby bird, except if it becomes a baby snake instead. Except if the baby snake is really truly a dinosaur!

In this young, clever, and whimsical picture book in the spirit of Not a Box and First the Egg, an egg is not just an egg, but a symbol of the potential a child's imagination holds. As each image melds smoothly, but unexpectedly, into the next, readers are invited to stretch the limits of their imagination.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Dinosaurs, Childrens, Animals, Birds, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 25, 2011

About the author

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio, a beautiful city built, like Rome, on seven hills-wooded hills of oak, walnut, and maple where I and my childhood imagination ran wild.

I enjoy throwing myself into situations which give me an opportunity to explore and grow. I joined the Peace Corps in my late twenties and went to live in Cameroon in western Africa for almost four years. It was there I first realized I wanted to write for children.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will engage the imagination of children with playful illustrations. I think it is very important to help children not even get into a box; that way they will never have to think outside the box! Books like this start the process off; the except if concept makes children think beyond what their fist impression was as far as what was inside the egg.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book because I have more than a few know-it-all kids who always think they have everything figured out, and when I read it to them, if they predicted (right or wrong) their classmates spoke up and said, "Predicting is a good strategy, but I don't think you're doing it to improve your reading. Please don't spoil the story." We also discussed it's similarities to the cumulative books we've read lately and that the Caldecott folks seem to love a good cumulative story (Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, The House in the Night. THEN J brought up the fact that the art looked similar to Mo Willems' style. And then Anthea made the discovery that the Pigeon books are by the same author as the Elephant and Piggie book. Anyway, it was a great conversation and a sweet book.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an utterly delightful, sweetly simple yet unpredictable story.

[Cosette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting concept

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow this twisting, turning puzzle of a book that has you thinking one thing and then transforming it into another. It all starts with an egg that is cracking open. It will become a bird “except if” it becomes a baby snake. That snake will slither on the floor “except if” it is actually a lizard. The lizard is actually a dinosaur, which is actually a fossil, which shelters a nest, where a familiar blue egg is resting. What will be in the egg this time?

This book is pure fun. The reader puts themselves into the author’s hands, unable to predict where this book will take them. The fossil piece was one that I was happily surprised by, not expecting the book to head in that direction. Averbeck’s use of spare language to great effect makes this a book that will read aloud well. Its straightforward text is the perfect foil to the twists of the story line.

Averbeck’s illustrations are bright and bold. The thick black lines and flat color evoke children’s coloring books, giving it immense child appeal.

Add this to any story time on dinosaurs or as the ideal ending book for any general story time. It’s sure to be requested again and again. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

It all starts with an egg, a big blue egg. "An egg is not a baby bird, / but it will become one / except if..." Turn the page and you see a tiny red snake emerging from the egg. Oh, yes, you think to yourself. Snakes hatch from eggs, too! Using this twisting pattern, Averbeck leads readers from one "gotcha" moment to the next. A snake? Well, except if it's a dinosaur. You'll think for sure the drawing is one thing - only to turn the page and find out it's really something different! It may seem deceptively simple, but young readers will love reading this puzzle again and again, tricking their parents and their friends. Averbeck builds the suspense with each page turn, and then leads readers to a satisfying ending. Head over to the wonderful blog Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast for a great interview with Jim Averbeck, as he talks about the process he went through developing this book.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was born to be an early-literacy-skill-building book! Repeated text and large print for print awareness, fosters predicting for narrative skills, nice vocabulary, fun idea plus dinosaurs for print motivation...it's all here.

[Tegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute story about what is inside of an egg. The kids really enjoyed guessing.

[Sadia Mansoor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite different concept! I am amazed how writers come up with such new & different topics for every other book :O
Do read this book except if you choose some other book to read today ;)

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book. It's the favorite of the ones I read to Alena today. I like the illustrations and how the story comes full circle.

[Klaudia Janek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly Recommended[return][return]The story starts off with an egg. Readers will assume it is a bird egg and then everything changes with the words “except if.” The story goes from a bird, to a snake, to a lizard, dinosaur, to a fossil to a cliff that holds an egg. The reader will come full circle to a bird. [return]This book will entertain children from preschool to 1st grade. The pictures are cute pastel and watercolor illustrations. They are simple pictures, but with small details that will entertain children. Readers will want to predict the direction the story will go in and they will continue to be surprised. Once the words “except if” show up, things are about to change. The message is pretty powerful for small children written in such a simple way. Things are not always as they appear. This would be a really good read aloud book for the classroom or the library. Groups of small children will remain riveted to the end of the book. It is short enough not to lose listeners. Art activities could be incorporated into a school library or public library story time. Narrators will probably get a squeal of laughter from children at the last page of the story. It’s cute and I would recommend it for any Easy Reader section.

[Amitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a big hit with Toddler Monkey, because it coincidentally features one of her new favorite words "except" (though she likes to say "except of" instead of "except if," as in, "Everyone loves spinach, except of me!") The book reads as a kind of exploration of the imagination. What could possibly come out of an egg? What might this snake also look like? The book also includes a dinosaur and fossils, which are a topic of great fascination right now. "What happened to the dinosaurs? What is the fossil?" The only source of confusion for my toddler is that the book doesn't look like the bones we've seen in the museum. I guess it's more of an impression kind of fossil. In any case, I already had to read this book about a million times the first week we got it.

Note: I received a free copy of this book directly from the publisher.

[Lauren Fogg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short story with limited text that follows the "except if" pattern. In the beginning the reader sees the egg which "is not a baby bird, but it will become one, except if" it becomes something else. Each page presents another idea which ends up being something other than the original idea. It is an enjoyable book that leaves the reader with a small surprise at the end.

Averbeck brings the imagination to life with his illustrations which appear to be drawn by crayon which add to the playful character of this book. Readers of all ages would find this book worth the read due to the transformation of ideas and imagination that take place on every page. "Except if" they do not enjoy a cute little book to bring a smile to their face.

[Emma Apple · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another story that takes you to an unexpected place in an unexpected way. This time we are presented with an egg and taken through a series of suggestions about what the egg could be (except if it’s… something else). We go through snake, lizard, dinosaur, fossil, and so on, until finally it ends up being a bird (of course). Like the twist that I didn’t give away in In A Blue Room, you don’t realize where you’re going until you’re there, when you’re there it all falls into place. It makes for a really enjoyable and fulfilling read. I love how it teaches a science lesson, but you don’t even know it.

[babyhippoface · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really like the way he takes an illustration and situation you think you understand and turns it into something else, which happens at the beginning (you think it's a baby bird, "except if" it's a snake, then you think it's a snake, "except if" it's a lizard). Not so thrilled with the "except if"s that arent' possible (lizard turning into a dinosaur). The ending is a predictable, but it's nice. It works.

Curriculum Connection: This would be great to inspire creative writing/drawing projects in Middle School.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Except If, a new childrens book for 2011 by Jim Averbeck, is a story that starts out with a big blue egg which is about to hatch. At the beginning, it appears that a baby bird will soon hatch. On the pages that follow the story follows the .....

"An egg is not a baby bird, but will become one EXCEPT IF......

The children get to use their imagination...will it be a bird, a snake, a lizard or something else?
This seems like this would make a good, group story hour read for library tot groups to enjoy. Bright, bold illustrations and a story that should keep children guessing."

[carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In the beginning, there is an egg. Which may become a baby bird, except if it becomes a baby snake instead. Except if the baby snake is really truly a dinosaur!
In this young, clever, and whimsical picture book in the spirit of Not a Box and First the Egg, an egg is not just an egg, but a symbol of the potential a child's imagination holds. As each image melds smoothly, but unexpectedly, into the next, readers are invited to stretch the limits of their imagination." - review from product

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this imaginative picture book, readers are asked to imagine the possibilities if things that are expected turn out not to be what they expect. The text and illustrations begin with an egg that might turn into a baby bird and then end with a bird in a nest. It's all great fun and prompts a lot of pondering of the things that are possible if we don't limit ourselves to what is already expected. The simple watercolor and oil illustrations suit the text well and are likely to prompt some interesting conversations between children and their caregivers.

[Melissa Elgersma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young children are naturally curious, especially about animals and dinosaurs. This book opens on a large, blue egg with a single crack. The story begins, "An egg is not a baby bird, but will become one except if. . ." The reader is led down a winding road of possibilities. It can be tough to find fun, engaging science books for very young children. With his simple illustrations and clever text, Averbeck will earn points with parents, teachers, and librarians for introducing children to the many different animals that hatch from eggs.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this title as having excellent potential for a preschool audience to keep them guessing and gasping (my girls literally gasped!). I will definitely incorporate this book into a storytime as soon as I have a gig. An egg hatches...and appears to be one thing...except if...it's not! It is fun to encourage children to stretch their imaginations and see the possibilities that things may not be as they initially appear.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting little book about what things might actually be. "An egg is not a baby bird, but it will become one/except if/it becomes a baby snake. And so the story progress until it comes full circle to another egg. Curious children will enjoy considering what each thing is and what it could become. A great book for younger children who are ready to think about creative, flexible thinking.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the concept of it, and planned to use it at my Egg Preschool DiscoveryTime (though it would also be great for a Toddler storytime; didn't arrive in time unfortunately). It's all about an egg hatching and the possibilities about what could be hatching from it. For example, it could be a bird except if it is a baby snake, etc etc. My son loved this book. Recommended for ages 2-6, 4 stars.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the beginning, there is an egg. Which may become a baby bird, except if it becomes a baby snake instead. Except if the baby snake is really truly a dinosaur!

In this young, clever, and whimsical picture book in the spirit of Not a Box and First the Egg, an egg is not just an egg, but a symbol of the potential a child's imagination holds. As each image melds smoothly, but unexpectedly, into the next, readers are invited to stretch the limits of their imagination.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would make a fun read aloud, except if your kids were noisy, which could be fun, except if they get confused. But then the illustrations might help clarify them, except if you have a LOT of kids. Unless you are good at sharing picture books. Sorry the book makes me want to write/think like it, except if it might annoy people.

[Danie P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toddler's might not understand the "except if" concept yet but they will enjoy the bright colors and the flow of the story told by the pictures. Preschooler that always ask "what if" will delight in this book about an egg that hatches that might be a chicken, except if it is a snake, that will slither, except if it is a lizard it will walk and so on. Great for a storytime focusing on imagination.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! I think kids can really get into a good cause and effect book. Also, this book is a good alternative if you're sick of bunnies in your spring time storytime or you don't want to learn 100 'o-saurus names for a dinosaur storytime. Cute, shorter than a "Give a Mouse" book with a better result for preschoolers.

[BlackhamBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little story ... kept the kids (and me) guessing. Always fun when there is a bit of repetition (the kids start to recognize the words "except if" and read along) ... and then it's just fun how it ends exactly how you would have expected it to start (but then it would have been a much shorter book) *Ü*

[Portable · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for getting children thinking about possibilities. An egg will hatch into a bird, except if it hatches into something else. A lizard is a lizard, except if it's a dinosaur, and a dinosaur is a dinosaur, except if it's a fossil. Brilliant for thinking, talking and reflecting on the IB concepts of Form and Change.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book by Jim Averbeck. It's very clever. Kids will enjoy the revelation that happens with each page turn. It's like opening a little present. A very well drawn one too! The end is satisfying. Perfect book for kids and grown-ups too!

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy, fun read-aloud with big, bright pictures and a cute, humorous (but not cloyingly so) circular plot. Anything with a big pink(ish) dinosaur is tops in my book.