Quack Quack

There are eggs in the farm shed, but are they Hen's eggs or Duck's? When Duck approaches, Hen ""clucks'' over the eggs, sits on them and, by dinner time, hatches them. Duck hatches her own eggs. But while Hen ``clucks'' and Duck ``quacks,'' their chicks all ``cheep.'' A minimal approach to a well-known, little-stated case: despite their differences when they grow up, the younger generations of ducks and chickens look alike and sound alike as eggs or chicks. Scratchy brown and gray lines lightly depict the barnyard world, in semi-realistic pictures of crayon and watercolor. Dribbles of brown make up the floor; sweeps of green, the surrounding walls. The view is chick-highCasey's illustrations will draw readers right into the conflict and the happy hatching. Ages 2-6. (March)