The Last Egg
By (Author) Sofie Laguna
Illustrated by Jess Racklyeft
Allen & Unwin
A&U Children
3rd June 2025
Australia
Children
Fiction
Hardback
32
Width 270mm, Height 250mm
Mother Bird sat over her eggs.
'Not long now,' she said to Father Bird.
Father Bird brought her worms and seeds.
'Not long at all.'
When an extra egg appears in their nest and takes too long to hatch, Mother Bird and Father Bird must risk their lives to keep it warm.
And as the freezing winter takes hold and it seems all hope is lost, only something miraculous will save them.
A gorgeous and heartwarming picture book about love, commitment and discovery from an outstanding creative team: Sofie Laguna, acclaimed author of When You're Older, and Jess Racklyeft, award-winning illustrator of Iceberg.
SOFIE LAGUNA's many books for young people have been published in the US, the UK and in translation throughout Europe and Asia. She has been shortlisted for the Queensland Premier's Awards, and twice been awarded Honour Book by the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA). She is also a highly acclaimed author for adults. Sofie lives in Melbourne with her husband, Marc McBride, and their two sons.
JESS RACKLYEFT creates a variety of illustrated things - picture books, paintings, prints, pins and cards - mainly in watercolours. She works from her studio at the beautiful Abbotsford Convent, and regularly has picnic lunches watching the neighbouring sheep and horses! Her art often combines collage - either on paper or digitally assembled - experimentation and lots of watercolour. Sometimes she writes the books as well. Jess worked in publishing sales for almost a decade before making the leap to full-time illustration and writing, and since then has won several illustration accolades including CBCA Picture Book of the Year for Iceberg (written by Claire Saxby). Her work can now be found in bookshops and libraries across Australia, and her days are happily spent in a messy studio creating books or visiting schools.