The Easter Celebration will be 12th April 2009
"The navigation links on the left of this page have some Easter related articles covering things to do at Easter and gifts for the Easter public holidays, plus facts about the history of Easter, this most sacred and holy of Christian festivals."
This quote from the following web site is part of the information about the Christian rite of Easter. There are a lot of historical citations plus art and craft projects for families.
http://easter.newarchaeology.com/2009_easter_date.php
Browse through these titles and those from previous years for some selections to share with your family or students.
Reviews
The Biggest Easter Basket Ever
Steven Kroll
Illustrated by Jeni Bassett
Mouseville residents are all excited by the upcoming Easter festivities. The mayor has announced that there will be an egg rolling contest, Easter egg hunt, and a contest to see who can create the biggest Easter basket. Clayton and Desmond are each determined to win and they prepare really big baskets, but when they check out those of their friends they realize that the others are about the same size. The solution becomes fairly obvious--Desmond and Clayton decide to cooperate and together with their families they do build the biggest and best Easter basket. The friends win the contest and share all the goodies with those who are participating in the festivities. The added attraction in this book is the series of foil egg stickers (for which there is no explanation or apparent use in the book). 2008, Cartwheel/Scholastic, $4.99. Ages 3 to 5. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-545-01702-2
ISBN: 0-545-01702-5
Biscuit's Pet and Play Easter
Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Pictures by Ross Mary Berlin
Biscuit and his mistress are enjoying an Easter Egg hunt. Biscuit is having fun as he discovers numerous things while hunting for the colorful eggs. First, it is a fuzzy yellow chick, then a ladybug in a grassy garden, and later, a whole clutch of brightly colored eggs. Each spread has something with texture for little ones to run their fingers across. Like the clump of grass in the garden. The shiny Easter eggs not only have something to touch, they also offer eye-appeal. The same is true of the butterfly, which has soft, silky wings. The animals and items featured are bolded in the text, and Biscuit's comments, which consist mostly of "Woof," are printed in blue. On the last spread, readers meet the Easter Bunny. This is a holiday touch-and-feel adventure. 2008, HarperCollins, $6.99. Ages 2 to 5. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-112839-4
ISBN: 0-06-112839-2
Bunnies Are for Kissing
Allia Zobel Nolan
Illustrated by Jacqueline East
From morning wake up call to being tucked into bed, this bunny family showers their child with kisses as they progress through a normal day. Papa Bunny shares breakfast, blows kisses and heads out to work, attired in a business suit, carrying a gray briefcase. Mama and youngster bunny play outside, with Mama administering kisses for a skinned knee. Together they work in the vegetable garden and later they are shown reading books on the front porch while they await Papa's return. The illustrations are full of springy images and are colorful portrayals of the Bunny Family's daily activities. The details are cute and endearing for those who will be attracted to this simple but charming look at an ideal day in family life. Some adults will complain of the "sweetness" but little people do enjoy the bucolic and comforting notions of the perfect, loving family. Encouraging families to share loving experiences in daily life and demonstrating such love with kisses seems like a good example to me. This padded board book has rounded edges and is sturdy enough for babies to handle (and chew on). 2009, Tiger Tales/ME Media, Ages 6 months to 3, $7.95. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan
ISBN: 978-58925-842-6
ISBN: 1-58925-842-8
Bunnyville Easter Egg Hunt
Chuck Murphy
The great Bunnyville Easter Egg hunt is about to get underway. The first spread shows everyone busy with all their fancy eggs in a variety of colors and decorated with silver and gold. The pop-up has a big chocolate egg-shaped store filled with delicious candies. The next scene show bunnies traveling to the big event, and of course the train is filled with egg shaped railroad cars decorated in shinny gold. Other bunnies have unusual ways of arriving--one comes in a balloon, and as you might suspect W. Orville Bunny comes in his own plane. There are even buccaneer bunnies who have been searching for a chest of golden eggs, but since they love jelly beans they need to hurry to Bunnyville for the big hunt. Could there possibly be any more strange arrivals--yes, one more, the astro-bunnies from outer space arrive in their egg-shaped rocket ship. It all ends with a big celebration on a warm spring day as the bunnies hunt and find the eggs, eat all the goodies, and dream of next year's big hunt. The pop-ups are not outstanding and the story is a bit saccharine, but little ones will probably enjoy the scenes filled with bunnies, eggs, and other Easter treats. A word of caution: Even though the book will appeal to little ones, it will probably not stand up to rough handling. 2008, Random House, $14.99. Ages 2 to 4. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-375-84572-7
ISBN: 0-375-84572-0
Christianity
Jane Bingham
This amazing summary of a vast subject on which people have deep feelings is sympathetically done. The life of Jesus, spread of Christianity, history, reforms, splits, and issues of today are told with headings, sidebars, and pictures on every page. Jesus' birth, teachings, crucifixion, and resurrection are retold. A map of Paul's journeys accompanies his story. Constantine's role in the acceptance of Christianity and in calling the Council of Nicaea is recounted. The reader is informed of the growth of the Holy Roman Empire, the crusades, and the rise of monasteries. The Reformation and the beginning of various denominations, along with the First and Second Great Awakening, the missionary movement, the Charismatic movement, and modern evangelism are explained. Fundamentalism is simply defined as a belief in the literal truth of the Bible. Today the ecumenical movement tries to bring the denominations together and help those in poverty. There are short biographies of important figures such as St. Benedict, Martin Luther, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Christian holidays, ceremonies such as Baptism and Holy Communion, and Saints' Days are further explained, and numbers for Christians worldwide are given. Color photographs, maps, paintings, lists for further information, a time line, glossary, and an index are included. This is one of the "Atlas of World Faiths" series. This reference book for libraries is attractive and well written. 2008, Smart Apple Media Imprint/Arcturus Publishing Limited, $32.80. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59920054-5
ISBN: 1-59920054-6
The Dumb Bunnies' Easter
Dav Pilkey
It is December 24th and the Dumb Bunnies are preparing to celebrate a non-traditional Easter. Beginning with a shamrock adorned sign that declares "Merry Halloween" the Bunnies carry on with their festivities by nailing valentines to the walls and windows, selecting their Easter tree, hanging decorations on themselves and spray painting fried eggs. The spend the night awaiting the arrival of the Easter Bunny, who appears in a red minivan pulled by flying pilgrims to drop raw eggs down the chimney. Anyone already familiar with the Dumb Bunnies will get exactly what they expect from this newest installment. Preschoolers and Kindergarteners will roll with the oh-so-obvious humor, "I'm good at picking things," says Baby Bunny, knuckle deep into his nostril. The illustrations, done with, "watercolors, India ink, acrylics, and Hamburger Helper" provide the perfect buck toothed bunnies for the simple illustrations that pair beautifully with the simple story. Anyone who enjoys a little silly humor now and then is sure to appreciate sharing the holiday with these Bunnies. 2009 (Orig. 1995), The Blue Sky Press, Age 4 to 8. $16.99. Reviewer: Sharon Oliver
ISBN: 978-0-545-03946-8
ISBN: 0-545-03946-0
The Easter Basket
Beth Harwood
Written in poetry and translated by Susanna Ranchi, this is a book of pop-up picture windows, five in all. Pansy, a young rabbit, finds an empty basket that is lined with satin and decorated with ribbons. One-by-one, she visits each of her friends to find the owner of the pretty basket. With the turn of each page, a three-layer window pops up, offering a peek inside the houses of Lily Lamb, Willow Kitten and Primrose Puppy. Not one of her friends claims the basket, but each adds a flower or two. Finally, they stop in to visit Pansy's Grandma who suggests they all go to the younger bunny's house. There, they learn that the basket belongs to Pansy's mother, who is the Easter Bunny! The pictures are fanciful, the pop-up windows have appeal, and the story, although banal, is seasonal. 2007, Dutton, $15.99. Ages 3 up. Reviewer: Eleanor Heldrich (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-5254-7846-1
ISBN: 0-5254-7846-9
Easter Bunny Blues
Carol Wallace
Illustrations by Steve Bjorkman
Petey and Old Jack, two farm dogs, are worried there will be no Easter for their girl, Belle, and all the other children. The Easter Bunny has come down with the flu and also has the blues. After talking to Mrs. Bunny, the two friends decide to take over for the Easter Bunny by enlisting the help of the farm and forest animals. The ducks and chickens are invited to donate eggs, the squirrels are recruited to decorate eggs with their tails, the birds will mix up paint using berries and fruits, and the dogs and deer will deliver baskets. Mrs. Bunny provides the baskets and the animals get to work. Luckily the Easter Bunny pulls through just in time. He uses his super powers to provide Easter surprises for the baskets and treats for all the animals that helped get the baskets ready to deliver. Attractive watercolor and ink illustrations complement the springtime story and don't interfere with the text. This book will be popular with beginning chapter book readers who will be looking for more adventures of Petey and Old Jack. 2009, A Holiday House Book, Ages 5 to 8, $15.95. Reviewer: Nancy Baumann
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2162-6
ISBN: 0-8234-2162-7
Easter Bunny in Training
Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Tini BIT (Bunny In Training) is off to Easter Bunny School. She is helped with her backpack by her loving bunny momma and off she goes to the school run by The Easter Bunny himself. The reader is treated to "previews" of the next page's illustrations through the little cut out sections of each picture. On one page we see Easter Bunny holding up a cellophane covered chocolate bunny, but after turning the page we see that the chocolate is part of a large vat being stirred by one of the BITs. The little bunnies are taught about stirring, pouring, packing, and "snacking" on all sorts of chocolates (mostly chocolate bunny shapes). They go on to learn that their job will include "coloring, sewing, painting, and trimming." We see the bunnies creating beautifully colored eggs and fancy bonnets—the colors are Easter-egg dye vivid. Last, but not least, we see the BITs with their baskets full of eggs seeking likely places to hide them for the great Easter egg hunt. For a moment, Tini is at a loss for a place to hide her last egg; but, then, she cleverly decides to secret it right on the top of her own Easter Bonnet. This cute look at the Easter Bunnies' preparations would make a nice addition to an Easter Basket for a little one. This book is part of the "A Sneek A Peek Book" series. 2009, HarperCollins, Ages 2 to 4, $6.99. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan
ISBN: 978-0-06-125673-8
Easter Bunny's On His Way!
Brian James
Illustrated by Dara Goldman
The refrain and tune will seem familiar. The kids are getting ready for the arrival of the Easter Bunny. First, they have several dozen eggs to color, so it seems a bit strange that they would be excited about the Easter Bunny hiding eggs. Then they talk about all the candy and are shown stuffing themselves with chocolate with no concerned parents or potential tummy aches. The borders on the pages range from jelly beans to unpainted eggs, painted eggs, and a variety of candy treats. The words and music are included on the closing page. Surely there is more to Easter than this offering would suggest. 2007 (orig. 2005), Cartwheel/Scholastic, $3.99. Ages 2 to 3. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-4398-7389-5
ISBN: 0-4398-7389-4
The Easter Day Surprise
Jane L. Fryar
Illustrated by Michelle Dorenkamp
This version of Jesus' Resurrection is told in verse and illustrated to appeal to younger readers/listeners. The book opens with God telling two angels to go and tell the people that Jesus is Risen. We see the guards at Jesus' tomb as they are frightened away and the angel rolling away the stone blocking the entrance to the sepulcher. The story continues to follow the events of Easter morning as Mary discovers that the tomb is empty. After hearing the news, John and Peter race to the tomb and wonder what could have happened to the body of their Lord. Mary is left grieving at the tomb and is overjoyed when Jesus appears to ease her fears: "I died and then I rose again. /Now you are free from death and sin." This artist's vision of Jesus shows Him with long flowing brown hair and a full beard. The cartoon-style drawings have enough shadowing and detail to give them a realistic touch that is accessible to younger readers/listeners. The last double spread has the Bible verses from Matthew 28: 18-20 on the left and an illustration of the empty tomb on the right. Parents and Sunday school teachers will be pleased to have this simplified version of the Easter miracle to share with their children. 2008, Concordia, $14.99. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7586-1445-2
ISBN: 0-7586-1445-4
Happy Easter, Dear Dragon
Margaret Hillert
Illustrated by Carl Kock
A book for beginning readers that concentrates on repetitive sounds and simple words, and captures the young child's imagination, guiding them on the way to becoming independent readers. Pictures throughout the book offer additional details for discussion that enhance the story and offer the opportunity to expand verbal language. Reading reinforcement activities such as phonemic awareness, vocabulary story words, echo reading, and discussion time questions are at the back of the book, which allows ease in lesson planning for the kindergarten teacher, and will help the teacher to promote the child's success in reading. These activities support reading comprehension and are aligned with the National Reading Panel's findings. The story follows a little boy and his pet dragon as they discover the wonders of spring with its budding flowers, newborn animals, and rainbows. The rainbow influences his choices of color for dyeing his Easter eggs as he and his family prepare for Easter Sunday. 2007 (orig. 1981), Norwood House Press, $18.60. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Gail C. Krause (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59953-038-3
ISBN: 1-59953-038-4
Happy Easter, Holly
Sonali Fry
Illustrations by Bob Berry
Easter books for older, emergent readers are few and far between. Fry fills this gap with a gentle story of forgiveness, honesty and understanding among best friends. We begin in the kitchen, as Holly, Carrie and Amy are busy decorating eggs for the annual Easter egg hunt before they go to a movie. Amy is the most creative one of the three, and she believes her eggs have to be just perfect. She finally finishes in time for the movie, but there is not enough time for her to move them from the table to dry completely. After the movie, Holly rushes into the kitchen; without thinking, she places her backpack on the kitchen table. As expected, Amy's eggs are crushed. Holly's younger brother, Kyle, offers no encouragement, knowing how embarrassed she feels about the accident, although she is too embarrassed to confess to Amy. In fact, she may not have had to confess at all, except for Kyle's comment during the hunt that the eggs didn't look so bad once they were pieced together. With her artistic ego bruised, Amy takes off on her bicycle, hurt by her friends' deception. Good friends cannot stay angry with each other for long, and once Holly realizes her mistake and apologizes, the rift has been mended with everyone best friends again. The predicament is a common one--how to fix something without hurting anyone's feelings or admitting you were the reason something is broken. This book in the "Holly Hobbie & Friends" series proves that honesty is the best policy and shows a mature way to deal with a less-than-mature incident. After all, accidents do happen to everyone. 2008, Little Simon, $3.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Elizabeth Young (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-4926-8
ISBN: 1-4169-4926-7
Happy Easter, Maisy
Lucy Cousins
Maisy fans have another treat in store as she helps them celebrate Easter. The first thing she does is visit the hen house to collect some eggs. Then she and her friends, Tallulah, Eddie, and Cyril, paint them in a variety of colors (although most kids will be dying their eggs rather than painting them). It is Charley's job to hide them in the garden the evening before Easter. Then, the big hunt is on! With baskets in hand they all start collecting the painted eggs, and, what is more, they find a bunny and a big egg by the garden shed. In the last spread, Maisy and her friends wish everyone a Happy Easter. If you are looking for something cute for an Easter basket besides candy, this book would do the trick. There is no religious message in this board book, so parents who want to explain more about Easter and its significance to Christians will need to explain it themselves or look elsewhere. 2007, Candlewick Press, $4.99. Ages 1 to 3. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3230-4
ISBN: 0-7636-3230-9
Hide Easter Bunny, Hide!
Udo Weigelt
Illustrated by Cristina Kadmon
Translated by J. Alison James
The soft felt cover is decorated with painted Easter Eggs. A brown bunny is shown with paws open wide. The Easter Bunny has finished painting eggs and is getting ready to hide them. Friends suddenly appear and warm the Bunny that a masked bandit is after him. They offer to help hide the eggs so Bunny can hide himself. It turns out that the masked bandit is a raccoon who is seeking help from the Easter Bunny. They head off to find Squirrel and Woodpecker and learn that they have to re-hide the eggs. After all, children cannot fly, so the eggs should not be in a tree; they should be on the ground. It all ends happily with raccoon getting three decorated eggs for his family and the Easter Bunny hiding two eggs for his assistants to find. The text seems overly laden and does not really flow smoothly, perhaps due to the translation. This book might have been better if the text had been streamlined so that it was crisper, more suspenseful and more amusing. 2007, North-South Books, $16.95. Ages 3 to 8. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7358-2054-8
ISBN: 0-7358-2054-6
If Jesus Came to My House
Joan Gale Thomas
Illustrated by Lori McElrath-Eslick
If Jesus came to a boy's house and was the same age and height, how would the boy treat him? And would the boy treat others the same way? The story is set in a house in the country in an earlier time. Four-line rhymed stanzas tell how the boy would offer Jesus his comfy rocking chair, show him his hiding place, pick flowers for him, give him the best apples and let him have a long ride on his rocking horse. Then they would put the toys away. The boy knows Jesus won't come that way, but the boy can go to church and talk with him and do nice things for others instead. He would not be scared in a dark corner with Jesus by his side. The pictures show the boy serving a steaming cup to a girl sitting in his rocking chair, bringing flowers to an old lady and sharing toys with poorer boys and girls. The watercolors are fresh, although Jesus has unusually big eyes, the little boy is natural looking. The verses are dated and have cutesy, predictable rhymes, however, the imaginative idea of a visit from the boy Jesus and treating others in the same way presents a clear message. 2008 (orig. 1951), HarperBlessings/HarperCollins Publishers, $16.99. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-083942-0
ISBN: 978-0-06-083943-7
ISBN: 0-06-083942-2
ISBN: 0-06-083943-0
Looking for Easter
Dori Chaconas
Illustrated by Margie Moore
When Little Bunny smells "sunshine and warm breezes and clear flowing water," he asks beaver about it. Beaver answers that it "smells like Easter." Then Little Bunny needs to know "What is Easter?" Beaver announces that it is a basket and that he would make one for Little Bunny if he could have some help gathering branches to make his lodge bigger. So it goes throughout this simple and sweet explanation that Easter is "new life." As Little Bunny seeks explanations, each animal he meets gives him another part of the answer in exchange for a little help from the questing bunny. The reader begins to understand that each of the animals (beaver, mouse, woodchuck, and bird) needs help to provide for the impending birth of a new generation of life. Little Bunny ends up giving the bird the basket filled with new grass and berries to use for a nest. Having sacrificed his new found treasures, Little Bunny is still wondering about Easter when he is introduced to the animals' offspring--new life is the answer he has been seeking. Without religiosity, this is an homage to spring and new beginnings. The soft watercolors are a sweet enhancement to the gentle story line. The message of needing and offering help and then receiving insight is one that all children could take to heart. This book will serve well to introduce spring and to discuss, for those so inclined, the meaning of Easter on a religious level. 2008, Albert Whitman, $15.95. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8075-4749-6
ISBN: 0-8075-4749-2
My First Easter
Tomie dePaola
Dyed eggs, new flowers (including an Easter lily), new clothes (including Easter bonnets), animals born in the Spring, Easter baskets delivered by the Easter Bunny, and an Easter egg hunt are all aspects of this family's celebration of Easter. Each watercolor spread shows the family preparing for and enjoying the activities that are also part of many family observances of the Easter Season. The simple sentences will be a delight to early readers, and even young listeners will grasp the meaning: "These are the animals born in the spring." Known the world around, dePaola's gentle watercolors are the perfect accompaniment for this early introduction to Easter. The board book format and its slightly larger size (approximately 7u x 7u) will appeal to little people. The book is enhanced with flocking on the animals for a tactile experience and sparkly, decorated eggs for visual stimulation. It would be perfect for Easter baskets and especially fitting for the very "First Easter." 2008 (orig.1990), Grosset & Dunlap, $5.99. Ages 3 mo. to 3. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-448-44790-2
ISBN: 0-448-44790-8
My Little Easter Book
Julie Stiegemeyer
Pictures by Dana Regan
Utilizing the repeated answer "Because He loves me so," this sturdy board book helps youngsters understand the Easter Story through a series of questions such as "Why did Jesus come?" Each spread has a straightforward bit of text on the left side and an uncomplicated drawing on the right side that will help children understand the story. Starting with Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem "riding on a donkey…" and continuing through His appearance to the disciples, the book includes scenes of The Last Supper, Jesus praying in the Garden, The Crucifixion, and The Resurrection. The Crucifixion scene is accompanied by the words "Jesus was hurt and died on the cross." The illustration is candid without being overly disturbing for early readers or young listeners. The questions are repeated on one of the last pages with a picture showing children reading the Bible together. The last two pages have the text to the Bible song "Jesus Loves Me." Parents and educators will find this useful for Sunday school classes or one-on-one explanations of the last week of Jesus' life and the reason that Easter is celebrated. 2008, Concordia, $5.99. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7586-1444-5
ISBN: 0-7586-1444-6
Peter Rabbit's Happy Easter
Grace Maccarone
Illustrated by David McPhail
If you ever wondered about what happened to Peter Rabbit or how the Easter Bunny came to be, Maccarone's story provides the answers. Peter was feeling pretty awful about disobeying his mother and losing his blue jacket. Peter wanted to do something to really impress his mother and to make her love him more than his perfect sisters (not a particularly good message there). As he was walking past the henhouses of his neighbors, Peter decided that there were more than enough eggs and appropriated some for himself. Pretty soon he had amassed a large number of eggs (I think that could be considered stealing), and when he takes them to his room, he accidentally spills paint all over them. Well, Peter is one lucky bunny, because the eggs do not break and they all turn out to be beautifully decorated (a bit of a stretch). His mother is impressed, but tells Peter that he has to return the eggs which he does. The eggs are scattered about and in the morning the kids find lots of brightly painted eggs, and it just happens to be Easter Sunday. Voila, Peter Rabbit has now become the Easter Bunny. 2008, Scholastic, $6.99. Ages 2 to 5. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-545-03784-6
ISBN: 0-545-03784-0
Spot's Easter Surprise
Eric Hill
Spot has been around for many years and he has appeared in many books. In this offering, Spot and his friends head out to his grandparent's house for an Easter egg hunt. They direct him and his pals out to the garden where they find a variety of decorated eggs--not just dyed a color, but with fancy patterns, too. Spot's has stripes while Helen's has polka dots. Then they find a really big egg with a bow around it. Spot decides that they should give it to Grandma and Grandpa. The pleased grandparents wish everyone a Happy Easter and offer to share the egg with all. If you are looking for something cute for an Easter basket besides candy, this book would do the trick. There is no religious message in this board book, so parents who want to explain more about Easter and its significance to Christians will need to explain it themselves or look elsewhere. 2007, Putnam/Penguin, $5.99. Ages 6 mo. to 2. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-399-24743-9
ISBN: 0-399-24743-2
Ten Little Easter Eggs
Lily Karr
Illustrated by P. Migliari
This die-cut board book is decorated with raised sparkles, which adorn the cover and each interior page. To further enhance the simple little story each page has drilled shapes to match the number of eggs that are being sought by the farm-yard animals. "Let's go on an Easter egg hunt!" is the call that opens the trek to find the colorful eggs depicted on each on page. Little ones will love poking their tiny fingers into each little opening while counting to see if the numbers match the words for the specific page (they do!). "One little, two little, three little Easter eggs" As they count to ten, the cute, idealized little animals collect the eggs in a large basket. The last page shows the animals (a sheep, three little chicks, and a blue bird) smiling as they gather around the bow bedecked basket. The text reads "10 little Easter eggs found." Each of the five sturdy pages is cut into a different shape with edges that have decorated egg shapes. Progressing from the smallish egg-shaped first page to the largest last page, the shapes make it easy for tiny hands to capture and turn each page. There is also a special cut-out that goes through the entire book revealing one of the tiny chicks that is happily clutching a decorated egg on the last page. This would be a darling addition to a youngster's Easter basket. 2009, Cartwheel Books/Scholastic, 6 months to 30 months, $5.99. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan
ISBN: 978-0-545-08924-1
ISBN: 0-545-08924-7
That's My Colt: An Easter Tale
Dandi Daley Mackall; Illustrated by Chris Ellison
Told from the viewpoint of a young boy living on the outskirts of Jerusalem, this is the story of Jesus' entrance into the city on what is now called Palm Sunday, and His subsequent arrest, crucifixion, and Resurrection. As the story opens Matthias is longing for a donkey colt of his own, then after he is given one for his tenth birthday he longs to train it to be ridden. But, his mother keeps him busy with Passover preparations. Historical information is woven into the story line without interfering with the development of the action. Matthias is shocked when someone appears to be stealing both of the family's donkeys, but when his father hears that "the Master has need of it" the donkeys are freely given. Matthias is upset with the loss of his colt and follows the crowd gathering around Jesus. The boy tries to warn Jesus that the colt is not broken for riding but Jesus just smiles, mounts the colt, and rides into the city to shouts of "Hosanna!" After His arrest, the boy decides to give the colt to Jesus so that He can escape from the city; but it is too late and Matthias sees Golgotha and the three crosses there. He sinks into deep depression until he learns of the Resurrection and is filled with great joy. He rides the colt around Jerusalem crying out "Hallelujah! He lives!" The beautifully crafted paintings that accompany the imaginative story are done in a realistic style but with enough broad, rough strokes to give a sense of a different time and place--capturing the flavor of the age and yet portraying deep emotions on the faces of the people. The illustrator's vision of Jesus is of a strong, handsome man with short hair and beard. Details in the pictures fill out information not given through the text--for example, the palms strewn in Jesus' path as He entered Jerusalem--making the appealing illustrations a real extension of the text. Of course it is not known to whom the colt really belonged, but it could have been a boy just like Matthias. 2008, Concordia, $14.99. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7586-1423-0
ISBN: 0-7586-1423-3
Where Are Baby's Easter Eggs?
Karen Katz
Baby is looking for Easter Eggs. Where are they hidden? She looks behind the bush, in the laundry basket, behind the flowers, under the picnic table, up in the tree, and behind the gate. She does not find the eggs until the end but at each "lift the flap" there are items that relate to Easter, such as a bonnet, jelly beans, bunnies, and chicks. At last she finds the shiny colored eggs. The celebration can begin. Toddlers always enjoy lifting the flaps to see what is behind them. The little round headed baby changes poses on each page. Children are introduced to a variety of vocabulary-extending prepositions as well as items that relate to Easter. The cardstock flaps are probably not sturdy enough for libraries but the book would be a nice addition to an Easter basket. 2008, Simon & Schuster, $6.99. Ages 1 to 3. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-416-94924-4
ISBN: 1-416-94924-0
To view Easter reviews from previous year, click here
Updated 03/27/09
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