The Last Egg, by Sophie Laguna and Jess Racklyeft, is a beautifully crafted picture book that explores themes of love, loyalty, and resilience. When Mother Bird and Father Bird discover a mysterious large blue egg in their nest, they choose to care for it as their own, even as their other three eggs hatch, and the fledglings fly off to warmer shores.

‘What if it never hatches?’ Father Bird asked.

‘All eggs hatch,’ she replied.

As the harsh winter descends upon them, the egg finally cracks open, with a surprising result! Their new arrival is a different creature altogether. But as it, too, flies away, Mother Bird says, ‘The last of our young has left the nest.’ Mother Bird represents pure acceptance of difference, alongside selfless love and protection of those in need – family or not. As the parents lay down together in the frost, we wonder whether they have made the ultimate sacrifice in their steadfast commitment to the egg.

The story’s ending is uplifting, however, as the parents are rescued and finally find their way to warmer shores. This is a ‘quiet book’ bringing a sense of magic to the cycles of nature. It showcases the unshakeable bond between mother and child (whether biological or by choice) and suggests that sacrifice, particularly for the purpose of helping others less fortunate, will be rewarded.

Laguna’s writing here is straightforward; evocative without complex allusion or poetry. Racklyeft’s watercolour illustrations bring the changing seasons to life, as autumn leaves make way for snowflakes (and, yes, each one seems to be unique).

Teaching Resources

Allen & Unwin, June 2025

Sofie Laguna 

Jess Racklyeft