The Cassowary's Egg by Garry Fleming

Clara a bossy and overbearing cassowary is going away with "the girls" so she leaves Calvin to guard her egg:

"You'll watch this egg while I'm away,

You'll keep it safe from strife,

For I'll return in 21 days

So guard it with your life!"

Calvin is doing a pretty good job until along comes a conniving goanna with a lisp:

But a devious plan the goanna

was already working through,

For he'd been quick to pick

that Calvinwas of dubious IQ.

The goanna tricks Calvin and runs off with the egg. Now what is Calvin going to do?

This book has absolutely stunning, detailed illustrations bursting with colour. The text with its sophisticated vocabulary and presented in poetic form, is quite challenging. This book would be much more appreciated by an upper primary reader.