Celebrate Easter: April 4, 2010.
As with many religious holidays, Easter celebrations often extend outside of the church. More secular Easter traditions are decorating and hunting for eggs, baskets filled with treats like chocolate bunnies and jelly beans, greeting cards, and feasting with family and friends.
For children the Easter Bunny has long been a special symbol of the holiday, bringing baskets of eggs, candy, and toys on the night before Easter, and sometimes hiding the eggs for children to find. The Easter Bunny's origins can be traced back to the early 1600s and the German fertility goddess Ēostre. Then German settlers in the Pennsylvania Dutch country introduced the Easter Bunny to America in the 1700s. Rabbits, hares, and eggs are still symbols of fertility and, in this case, are also associated with the arrival of spring.
Browse through these titles and those from previous years for some selections to share with your family or students.
For more information about Easter visit:
http://www.history.com/content/easter
http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/easter
Contributor: Emily Griffin
Reviews
Bunny Days
Tao Nyeu
Mr. and Mrs. Goat inadvertently create problems for six likable bunnies, and Bear comes to their rescue in three appealing little stories. In "Muddy Bunnies" Mr. Goat drives his tractor through a mud puddle and splashes the bunnies. Bear knows just what to do: he puts them in the washing machine (delicate cycle) and hangs them up to dry overnight. In the second story, the bunnies are taken up into Mrs. Goat's vacuum cleaner as she cleans her yard. She takes the broken vacuum cleaner to Bear who rescues the bunnies and knows just what to do to get the dust off them. Mr. Goat clips his hedges and the tails of the bunnies who are playing hide-and-seek in the third story, "Bunny Tails." With tender, loving care Bear reattaches their tails and reads them a story while they get a bit of bed rest. Each story is illustrated in separate colors, which relate to the tale. Blue is the predominant color in the first story where the bunnies are seen in the water. Earth tones of tan, brown and orange effectively illustrate the dust around the bunnies in the second story. The green of the trees, hedges and grass is the ruling color in "Bunny Tails." The illustrations were silkscreened using water-based ink and have soft, flat tones. The frog, bird and butterfly are a nice little touch. One shows up in each of the stories, and all are shown in the final picnic scene. Robust personalities come through in the illustrations. They are a perfect complement to the simple, brief text. Both together create a fanciful storybook full of unpredictable events. Keep this in mind for a spring or summer storyhour. Parents will delight in this as much as their preschoolers. This will be equally entertaining for beginning readers. 2010, Dial Books/Penguin, Ages 3 to 7, $16.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3330-5
Bunny's Easter Egg
Anne Mortimer
Illustrated by Anne Mortimer
Bunny has been working hard all night to hide beautiful eggs for the hunt on Easter morning, and now she would like nothing better than to take a long quiet nap. She has one egg still in her basket, but it is very plain, and anyway, she is too tired to hide any more eggs. But try as she might, she cannot find a good place to sleep. The birds are chirping, the frogs are croaking, the mice are squeaking...how will she ever get any sleep? After trying a series of likely spots--the garden, the boat at the pond, a hollow in some tree roots--she finally ends up back in her own egg basket and finds that she now has a new companion in place of the plain brown egg. The story line is simple with lots of repetition, which can appeal to young listeners. This is definitely a book to read aloud since the vocabulary is often beyond the target audience age range (e.g., wheelbarrow, burrowing, etc.). The illustrations are exquisitely executed with beautiful colors and engaging depictions of small animals, flowers, and brightly colored eggs. There is even a challenge in the beginning of the book to find all the eggs hidden in the illustrations. A timely edition for the Easter season, this book would make a nice personal gift, but is of limited utility for classroom discussion or group work. 2010, Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins, Ages 4 to 7, $12.99. Reviewer: Paula McMillen, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-136664-2
ISBN: 1-932425-58-6
Bunny My Honey
Anita Jeram
The illustrator of the best-selling book, Guess How Much I Love You, Jeram seems to create the most appealing animal characters. The mommy rabbit in this story has a baby who looks just like her, only smaller. Mommy Bunny calls her baby Bunny, my honey. Bunny makes friends easily and becomes bosom buddies with a little duckling and a mouse. They play games and sing songs, and usually stay out of trouble. But alas, one day Bunny wanders off and gets lost. He is alone, scared, and crying in the big woods. Soon Mommy Bunny finds her baby and comforts him and he returns to his world of love and security. The predictable story and repetitive text make this a must read for toddlers and preschoolers (and mommies!). All will identify with the love felt between the mommy and baby bunny, and the happy ending will make you cheer every time. Now available in a board book format just right for those sweet little hands. 2010 (orig. 1999), Candlewick Press, $7.99. Ages 18 mo. to 3. Reviewer: Susan Hoyle Fournier (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4645-5
ISBN: 0-7636-4645-8
Clifford's First Easter
Norman Bridwell
Emily Elizabeth is celebrating Easter with her new little puppy, Clifford. She shows him things in the garden and they color eggs. The next day they have an Easter egg hunt. Each turn of the page of this lift-the-flap book gives toddlers and preschoolers a chance to actively participate. Under the flowers they will find a bird, a snail and an ant. Little Clifford goes to sleep in an empty egg carton that says, "1 DOZE 'N.'" More signs of spring and symbols of Easter are found under a watering can, a pail, a potted plant, and under a tree. Clifford is a popular character, familiar to most preschoolers. He presents a simple introduction to Easter. This is more a listing of activities rather than a story.
2010 (orig. 1995), Cartwheel Books/ Scholastic, Ages 2 to 4, $6.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-545-20010-3
Easter
Lynn Peppas
Easter is a Christian holiday which celebrates the day that "Jesus was resurrected, or came back to life." Long ago people held a festival to celebrate the goddess Eostre who brought spring to Earth. Her animal was the hare which looks like a rabbit. Eggs, baby animals such as chicks and lambs, stand for new life and are symbols of Easter. The cross is also a symbol because Jesus died on a cross, "Then God forgave people's sins, or wrong doings." Clear, colored photographs show a church, a child decorating an Easter egg, and children rolling eggs on the White House lawn. A picture of a passion play shows Jesus wearing a crown of thorns and carrying the cross. Children with various racial features are shown. An inset at the bottom of even numbered pages gives an interesting fact such as: "Most people call baby rabbits bunnies, but the real name for them is kittens." This is one of the "Celebrations in My World" series. A glossary of words in bold print and an index are included. This slick paperback clearly explains and beautifully illustrates the holiday and its traditions. 2009, Crabtree Publishing Company, $26.60 and $8.95. Ages 6 to 8. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780778743071
ISBN: 9780778742890
ISBN: 077874289X
The Easter Egg
Jan Brett
It's springtime. Hoppi, a young bunny, would like to win the right to help the Easter Rabbit hide the eggs by decorating the winning egg. He needs an "amazing idea" for his first egg ever. Searching, he passes other bunnies at work, making eggs with flowers, from carved wood, chocolate; Granny Ireney makes "fabulous story eggs." Overwhelmed by the possibilities, Hoppi decides to, "...just make an egg I am proud of." Just then, an egg tumbles from Mother Robin's nest. It must be kept warm until it hatches. Through days and nights, Hoppi never leaves it. For this, the Easter Rabbit chooses him for a place of honor on Easter. The front jacket/cover portrait of our nattily jacketed hero surrounded by a frame of decorated eggs, plus the five bunnies at work on the eggs in a similar frame on the back introduce the double pages of the highly detailed, naturalistic scenes. Additional vignettes along with frames bursting with plants, flowers, and other busy bunnies attend the drama of the egg. Watercolors and gouache with added airbrush background produce these delightfully attractive characters and settings. A foldout is needed to display the Easter Bunny's wagon pulled by golden chickens. And the moral should be clear to young readers. 2010, G.P. Putnam's Sons/Penguin Young Readers Group, Ages 3 to 6, $17.99. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-399-25238-9
Emmaline and the Bunny
Katherine Hannigan.
The unique voice of Emmaline is introduced in this second novel from the author of the acclaimed Ida B. Emmaline is a young and exuberant girl who has the misfortune to live in the town of Neatasapin, where everything messy is forbidden by its tyrannical mayor. Outlawed, among other things, are jelly doughnuts, spaghetti, skateboarding, puddle jumping, mud pies, trees, weeds, and songbirds. Everyone is expected to be quiet and tidy. Emmaline, unfortunately, is most untidy and certainly not quiet. She likes to dig holes, puddle jump, scoot-skedaddle under shrubs and shout "hoopalala" and "dinglederrydee" when she is happy. She also longs for a bunny, although animals are definitely not allowed in the town. Her adventures begin when she discovers the world of Untidy and meets up with Bunny, whom she is determined to have come live with her. With some help from her parents, who help rid Neatasapin of its nasty Mayor, Emmaline finds a way to attract not only Bunny, but other wildlife back to the rejuvenated and newly lush town. Adding to the delight of this story is Hannigan's deft use of language--including repetition, onomatopoeia, and rhyme. She also cleverly combines words to create striking images. For example, there is the description of a meadow as "warm golden" and Emmaline as "cold-shivery" after sitting in the shade. All the wonderful sound makes it a good candidate for a classroom read-aloud. A plea for beautiful green space can be read into the book, although Hannigan never explicitly states her environmental concern. There is some question as to whether Emmaline's discovery of Untidy and her encounter with Bunny is a dream or not. This ambiguity adds to the charm of this highly imaginative story. Delicate, full-color drawings by the author are found throughout the book. 2009, Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins Publishers, $17.99. Ages 7 to 12. Reviewer: Margaret Orto (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780061626548
ISBN: 9780061626555
ISBN: 0061626546
ISBN: 0061626554
Happy Easter, Curious George
R. P. Anderson
Illustrated by Mary O'Keefe Young
George and the Man with the Yellow Hat drive to the park. It is Easter and children are flying kites, decorating eggs, and rolling eggs in races. George feeds a white bunny a carrot. When George goes to dye eggs, the bunny runs away. George mixes colors to make new ones and even juggles the dyed eggs. When he sees a man hiding eggs, George thinks the man is losing them and collects all the eggs. When he sees a white egg, it turns out to be the bunny's tail. The man in the yellow hat has George re-hide the eggs so the children can find them. "It was the best egg hunt ever!" The pictures show George hiding eggs in a bird nest, in a boy's pocket, and a squirrel hole. At the back are sparkly egg-decorating stickers. The pictures are in the style of H.A. Rey, the original creator of Curious George. 2010, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Ages 2 to 5, $9.99. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-547-04825-3
Here Comes Easter
Caroline Jayne Church
A little red-haired girl in pigtails holds a basket as she anticipates an Easter egg hunt. She is looking for five eggs. Her kitten follows her as she goes through the house looking for them. A single line of text on each page offers a clue as to where to find the egg. Parents can name each room and have the child point to items in it. Concepts, such as on, in and under are presented. Each turn of the page offers a tactile experience: the woven basket, the terry-cloth towel, and the fuzzy kitten, to name a few. In the final spread, the reader lifts the flap to reveal a chocolate bunny. This board book is just right for the toddler set: brief text, clear and simple drawings, and a few extra items on each page to stimulate vocabulary. It would be a fine addition to an Easter basket. 2010, Cartwheel Books/Scholastic, Ages 1 to 3, $7.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-545-11816-3
Juanita
Leo Politi
Juanita lives with her mamacita and papacita on Olvera Street in old Los Angeles. Like many of her neighbors, Juanita's parents own a small puestos from which they sell pretty handmade dresses and bright colored baskets. On her fourth birthday Juanita celebrates at a festive party with all of her neighbors. Her mother makes her a lace-trimmed, rose-colored dress and from her father she receives a little dove. Juanita lovingly cares for the little bird and on the Sunday before Easter, dressed in her finest, she parades with her friends to the Old Mission Church for the annual Blessing of the Animals. Cats and dogs, burros and birds, lambs and rabbits all walk in silence to the soft tunes played on a harp. That night Juanita's mother sings a gentle lullaby as the little girl falls asleep and dreams of the joyous Easter Sunday to come. First published in 1948, this reissue of the Caldecott Honor book is as pertinent today as it was sixty-one years ago. The Los Angeles Mexican community still thrives as do many other such communities across this nation and priests still bless the animals. This happy celebration honors their culture and traditions. Music and lyrics for the birthday song and lullaby are included. Politi's illustrations have the warm patina of age and invoke nostalgia for a simpler time. For a new generation of children this classic is still a must. 2009, Getty Museum, Ages 4 to 7, $16.95. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-89236-991-1
My Story Bible: 66 Favorite Stories
Jan Godfrey
Illustrated by Paola Bertolini Grudina
Stories from the Old and New Testaments are told with young children in mind. The stories have imaginative titles such as: "The Best Way to Live," for Moses receiving the Ten Commandments; and "The Enormous Picnic," for the feeding of the 5,000. The picture that goes with "Joseph and His Brothers" shows the back of the brother's heads looking down on Joseph at the bottom of the well. Free renditions of the "Twenty-third Psalm" and "The Lord's Prayer" are given. In "A Lonely Garden," about Jesus' betrayal, it says: "Jesus was sad because Judas, one of his special friends, didn't want to be his friend anymore." A picture shows a bird's eye view of Jesus suffering on the cross with sad people and sheep around him. "It was the saddest day there had ever, ever been." When women see angels at the empty tomb, "It was the happiest day there had ever, ever been." A picture of Saul's conversion shows him on the ground while holding the reins of his dappled horse with sunbeams streaming down on him. Each story has the Bible citation at the end. A table of contents and an index are included. This wonderful combination of text and colored pictures will be loved by parents and small children alike. 2008, Tyndale Kids/Tyndale House Publishers, Ages 3 to 6, $12.99. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-1-4143-2671-9
Ollie's Easter Eggs
Olivier Dunrea
The little chicks are hard at work preparing their Easter eggs! Gossie, Gertie, BooBoo, and Peedie are gathering the eggs and dying them vibrant colors. Ollie, on the other hand, is too busy hopping around wearing bunny ears. But...there is a problem. He wants Easter eggs, too. The chicks find just the right spot for their beloved eggs. Beneath the soft straw, tucked away in the tulips, and even right under a turtle! Until Ollie comes along. One by one he rolls them to his special spot. The little chicks begin to look for their eggs. No luck! Ollie hops by. They follow him and low and behold, there are the eggs! This charming story will delight young readers. This would make a great tool to introduce reading strategies, such as making predictions and sequencing events. The illustrations, created by using ink and watercolor, are colorful and engaging and are sure to elicit giggles from adults and children alike. Affordably priced, this would make a wonderful addition to any young person's reading library. 2009, Houghton Mifflin Books for Children/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Ages 4 to 8, $9.99. Reviewer: Summer Whiting (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-618-53243-9
A Small Child's Book of Prayers
Cyndy Szekeres
Illustrated by Cyndy Szekeres
This collection of short prayers has traditional and attributed poems. They cover subjects that appeal to children. Traditional prayers with first lines such as: "Father, we thank Thee for the night," and "Now I lay me down to sleep," are included. One by A.W.I. Chitty says: "Thank God, who sends the gentle rain/ That thirsty flowers may drink again--for puddles on the garden path,/ Where little birds may take a bath." The complete poem of "All Things Bright and Beautiful" by Cecil Frances Alexander is another favorite. The accompanying picture shows a daddy rabbit with an open book and three young bunnies. One bunny brings a bouquet of purple clover, one is coloring, and another sits on a kiddie-car. One illustration is reminiscent of "Peter Rabbit." The padded cover, simple prayers with bright, colored pictures of cheerful mice, bunnies and other animals will make this a favorite of children. 1999, Little Shepherd Books/Scholastic, Ages 2 to 5, $8.99. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-545-15624-0
This Little Bunny Can Bake
Janet Stein
Illustrated by Rachael Cole
New students arrive at Chef George's world famous dessert school to study with the master pastry chef. Some of the students do not know what an ingredient is so Chef George decides to begin at the beginning. He shows the class what a pot looks like. Then a spoon. He shows them what an egg looks like and shows them how a pot looks on a stove. With his arms loaded with cookbooks, Chef George begins to teach. First he trains their noses by blindfolding them and giving them various fruits, vegetables, and desserts to tantalize their sniffing senses. "A dessert must smell as good as it tastes." Let the baking begin! Chef George shows the class how to measure, how to work together, and how to keep the kitchen neat and orderly. Chef George has the class get creative and reminds them that presentation is everything. The class makes wonderful dessert surprises and one bunny makes a huge layer cake. This book has great art work, which carries the story along more so than the words. Younger children will giggle at the animals used in the story and the desserts they make. 2009, Random House Children's Books, Ages 4 to 8, $15.99. Reviewer: Beverly Melasi (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-375-84313-6
To view Easter book reviews from previous years, click on the following links:
2009 feature
2008 feature
2007 feature
2006 feature
2004 feature
2003 feature
Added 2/25/2010
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