Celebrate Easter, 2004
The following reviews were presented in our 2004 Easter feature.
Reviews
Bear's Egg Hunt
Heather Feldman
Illustrated by Tom Brannon
It is finally spring and Bear is enjoying the beautiful flowers, blue sky and wonder of everything growing after a cold winter. He decides that an Easter Egg Hunt is just the thing and invites all his friends over to decorate the eggs. The next scene shows everyone with a basket out for a hunt, but there was no previous page to show Bear hiding the eggs. Treelo isn't very happy because he can't find any eggs. Then he spots one and brings it back to show his friends. It turns out that this egg was not one painted by the group. It is a real egg and one that is about to hatch. What fun as kids lift the flaps and look for the eggs and discover what hatches from the egg that Treelo found. Another adventure from The Big Blue House.2004, Simon Spotlight/Simon & Schuster, Ages 6 mo to 3, $6.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-689-86259-8
The Bunny Hop
Sarah Albee
Illustrations by Maggie Swanson
The characters on Sesame Street faced an unusual series of events one Easter. When Elmo got up one of his bunny slippers appeared to hop away. When Bert and Ernie were working around the house, the closet was full of bunnies. Henry ended up with a bunny on his lap while he was coloring Easter eggs. Zoe and Cookie found bunnies everywhere. The place seems to be overrun with bunnies. Then Big Bird appeared on the scene and he was looking for his lost bunnies. They were supposed to march in the Easter parade. A solution is found and all of the Sesame Street gang and all of the bunnies make a parade down their famous street. Silly, but at least a story with a beginning, somewhat of a mystery to be solved and a happy conclusion. The illustrations will be familiar to those who watch the program.2004 (orig. 1997), Sesame Workshop/Random House, Ages 1 to 3, $4.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-375-82693-9
Caillou: Happy Easter
Melanie Rudel-Tessier
Illustrations by Tipeo
Lucky Caillou, he is spending the Easter holiday on his Uncle Felix's farm. It will also give him an opportunity to play with his cousins Amanda and Emilio. The fun begins with egg decorating. The egg hunt will take place the next day after the Easter Bunny visits. They have carrots on a stump outside, just in case the Easter Bunny wants a snack. The next day the hunt is on and the decorated eggs are found all over the yard. As an extra added treat, Caillou's grandparents arrive and the whole family is together for Easter dinner, with a delicious cake for dessert. Fans of this little boy will enjoy this and all the other spin-off books. 2003, Chouette, 5.95. Ages 2 to 4. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 2-89450-386-5
Christianity
Lynne Gibson
It is a daunting task to summarize a religion with so much history and so many divisions. Almost no statement can be true for everyone. With that in mind, this well organized text achieves an overall evenhanded approach with some slant to liturgical interests. A summary of beliefs, sources, and descriptions of worship are clearly presented. Important festivals: such as Christmas and Easter are described. Ways of looking at creation, the environment, moral issues, and questions of life and death are examined from a Christian perspective. An introduction to what will be learned appears in a box at the beginning of each two page spread. Direct quotations from people reporting their experiences are in faint gray print. Sidebars offer special explanations. Photographs and diagrams are instructive. There is an extensive glossary and an index. This is part of a series on "Living Religions." Every denomination would like to be more specifically represented, but as an overview of Christianity, this will serve those interested in a general presentation.2003, Raintree/Reed Elsevier, Ages 12 up, $28.56. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman
ISBN: 0-7398-6383-5
Easter
Jill Foran
This excellent book covers topics such as the beginnings of Easter, Easter in the past, Easter in Canada today, the messenger of spring, symbols of Easter, Easter traditions and how Canadians celebrate Easter across the country. At the end of the book readers will find instructions on how to make a bunny envelope craft, a recipe for Easter Nests, an Easter quiz, some vocabulary and an index. The book reveals some very interesting facts about Canada's Easter traditions. It is a purely Canadian resource that would be excellent in the classroom when discussing Easter and its relevance to Canadian citizens. (Canadian Holidays Series) Category: Non-Fiction Grades K-6. Thematic Links: Easter; Canadian Customs, Symbols and Traditions. Resource Links Rating: E (Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!), Gr. 3-7. 2003, Weigl Educational Publishers Ltd, 24p. Illus., Hdbk. $22.95 ea., Ages 8 to 13. Reviewer: Elaine Rospad (Resource Links, December 2002 (Vol. 8, No. 2))
ISBN: 1-894705-99-8
The Easter Bonnet Parade
Monique Z. Stephens
Illustrated by SI Artists
Strawberry Shortcake and her sweet friends (Huckleberry Pie, Orange Blossom, Ginger Snap, Angel Cake and Honey Pie Pony) are gathering together to celebrate Easter. They make baskets, paint eggs, and have and Easter egg hunt. Then Strawberry Shortcake gets a great idea. "Let's have an Easter parade-and Easter bonnet parade!" Everyone gets busy decorating a hat, but one member of the group is left out. Honey Pie Pony doesn't have a hat. She is so sad that tears roll down her face, but Huckleberry Pie saves the day. Everyone contributes a little something and he makes a beautiful crown. Now Honey Pie Pony with Strawberry Shortcake on her back leads the parade down the road. A book with a message and plenty of saccharine to go around.2004, Grosset & Dunlap/Penguin, Ages 2 to 4, $3.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-448-43486-5
The Easter Chick
Géraldine Eischner
Illustrated by Alexandra Junge
Translated by Marianne Martens
Hilda had laid a beautiful egg. She waited and waited for it to hatch but nothing happened. Then one day she heard a voice coming from the egg asking when it would be Easter, for her baby chick wanted to be born on Easter Sunday. Since Hilda only knew that Easter was in the spring, she went to several animals and asked if they knew. Each animal sent her off to another, until she finally asked Max, the wise old owl, who knew exactly when it was and offered to signal to the unborn chick when it was time. The children who lived on the farm were delighted to see a newborn chick on Easter Sunday as they searched for painted eggs in the barn. The illustrations show Hilda in many expressive and entertaining poses, and the chick can be seen impatiently waiting inside the egg. There are wonderful changes of perspective from the indoor scenes to the outdoors. Parents as well as children will learn how the date for Easter is set each year and why it changes from year to year. Christian symbols can be seen here. On one page there are three wooden crosses on a hill in the background. On the same page is a "bunny" cloud formation. The story flows smoothly, and it is refreshing to see an Easter book that is not centered on the Easter bunny or Easter candy.2004, A Michael Neugebauer Book/ North-South Books, Ages 4 to 7, $15.95. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-7358-1855-X
Easter Egg Disaster
Karen Gray Ruelle
Harry and his younger sister Emily are getting ready to dye some Easter eggs. Unfortunately when they start out, the eggs are fresh out of the box and several break. When they try blowing out the contents and thus having an empty shell to paint those also become a cracked mess. Finally, Harry tells Emily that the eggs should be hardboiled first. Then they try decorating with crayons and dye. They really are having a good time, but then get carried away using the various colors so they all end up with the same look. The two decide to create an Easter Egg hunt for their parents. They hide the eggs, along with some chocolate ones, in unusual places. Disasters just keep compounding as their parents find eggs in boots, hats, and the oven. The kids have created another fine mess. Wow, things have really not turned out well. Harry and Emily fear that the Easter Bunny will not visit them and leave any goodies. The ending is a pleasant surprise and a lesson too. The simple illustrations are a good match for the story. And the little lessons about mixing colors and saying you are sorry and the happy ending are just right for the target age group. A "Holiday HouseReader" Level 2.2004, Holiday House, Ages 6 to 7, $14.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-8234-1806-5
ISBN: 0-8234-1823-5
The Easter Rabbit's Parade
Lois Lenski
Ann Eliza lives on a farm and she is very conscientious about caring for the farm animals. She works hard bringing them food and water and the animals want to do something special for her since it was almost Ester. They all work to create a basket, lined with wool and decorated with stones and shells and filled with eggs. Others decide to pick flowers. The grump of the group is Old Graybead the Goat who has plenty of asides and negative comments about all that the animals are trying to do. Everything seems to be coming along quite well until the White Rabbit appears and he lets them know that he is the only one who knows all about Easter. He calls his family in to decorate the eggs and then accidentally gets sprinkled in the face with some purple dye. Ann Eliza finally gets her treat from the animals including a parade with the White Rabbit, purple spots and all and it all ends happily. Today's kids may well wonder why this young girl is working so hard and all alone on the farm, and why the animals talk and seem to take on human characteristics. The text is overly long and not terribly interesting. Perhaps this story should have rested in the archives.2004 (orig. 1936), Random House, Ages 4 to 6, $12.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-375-82748-X
ISBN: 0-375-92748-4
The Golden Egg Book
Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard
A little bunny all on his own finds a bright blue egg and wonders what is moving inside. Is it a boy, an elephant, a bunny, a mouse? The bunny pushes jumps on, throws nuts at the egg and rolls it down a hill, but it didn't break. He listened closely and can hear something pecking away, but being a tried little bunny after all that activity he fall asleep next to the egg. It finally cracks and out pops a fuzzy yellow duck. All the things that the bunny did to the egg the duck does to the bunny-he pushed him with his foot, jumped on him, threw a rock and rolled him down a hill and finally the bunny woke up. The two become fast friends "And no one was ever alone again." Young children may be pleased to learn that Margaret Wise Brown did indeed create more stories than Goodnight Moon and this one with its charming illustrations will find a receptive audience.2004 (orig. 1947), Golden Books/Random House, Ages 1 to 3, $8.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-375-82717-X
ISBN: 0-375-92503-1
Happy Easter Corduroy
Don Freeman
Illustrated by Lisa McCue
This board book is actually based on the character created by Don Freeman, but he is given credit on the spine as the author. Corduroy is busy decorating Easter eggs. He not only dyes them bright colors, but he also adds fancy designs. His friends all arrive with their baskets and are ready for an Easter egg hunt. Corduroy, ever thoughtful has also bought other goodies for his friend's Easter baskets. For some reason there are lambs in the scene and everyone gets to pet them and then have a picnic. It is not a really cohesive story just a collection of vignettes and a chance to feature a character kids have come to love.2004, Viking/Penguin, Ages 6mo. to 2, $5.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-670-03677-3
Hippity Skippity Easter
Maria Fleming
Illustrated by Katy Bratun
Young little Bunny is on his way to deliver his painted eggs to friends and neighbors when he trips over Turtle. His eggs fall out of the basket and break. Bunny cries and goes home. Turtle calls all the other animals together and tells them what happened. They devise a plan and take a very large egg to Bunny. The illustrations add great detail to the brief rhyming text. The anthropomorphic animals are attractive and their friendly faces invite the reader into the story. The resolution of the story comes so quickly that the reader does not have an opportunity to feel sorry for Bunny. It would have been a more engaging story had the plot been more fully fleshed out.2004, Cartwheel Books/Scholastic, Ages 2 to 5, $3.50. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-439-56417-4
How Do You Know It's Easter?
Dian Curtis Regan
Illustrated by Fumi Kosaka
Each spread provides a description of an aspect of the Easter season. Hints are given in the picture on the opposing page and the answer is revealed when the flap is lifted. For example, "I glow bright in spring's blue sky.... What am I?" The answer is the sun. Other telltale signs of Easter are the bunny rabbit nibbling in the grass, a basket for the colored eggs, an Easter egg hunt, lilies, a lamb, candy chicks, bunnies and the like, and an Easter bonnet. The descriptions are all related toward the secular side of this religious holiday. Religious parents may want to discuss how some of these symbols came to be related to the holiday, but that may require research in additional books such as Easter by Mari C. Schuh from Pebble Books, 2003 or A Child's Book of Easter by Paul Kortepeter, with illustrations by Susan Wheeler, Dutton, 2002.Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, Ages 6 mo. to 3, $7.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-689-86155-9
Minnie and Moo: The Attack of the Easter Bunnies
Denys Cazet
OK, I admit it, I am a sucker for these books. The stories and illustrations make me laugh out loud every time I read one and this one was no exception. I really think they are written for both kids and adults, because I can't imagine an adult reading this aloud and not having a chuckle. Moo is really upset because she has just learned that the Farmer says that he is too old to be the Easter Bunny. The cows are worried about how disappointed the grandchildren will be. These two bovine belles head out to the chicken coop and try to get Elvis the rooster to help. He is unwilling and suggests they try the pigs. One of the small ones volunteers (Hamlet), but he needs permission from his mom. In the meantime Minnie and Moo head off to ask the sheep, but they cannot make up their minds because the dog is the boss. Next it is off to see the turkey's Zeke and Zack and then kids along with the turkeys learn why eggs are a symbol of Easter, but they still end up confused about bunnies laying eggs. Well, that is the last straw and Minnie and Moo decide that they have to be the Easter Bunnies. It turns out that all their farmyard buddies really didn't let them down and what results is just chaos and hilarious as they all parade around as Easter Bunnies. The bewildered farmer gets all the credit and the kids really love the show. Minnie and Moo are a sight to behold as they exit from the scene by hopping over the white picket fence in their bunny suits. Do read this book and it is even funnier the second and third time through as you notice more humorous gags in the illustrations. Part of the "An I Can Read Book" series.2004, HarperCollins, Ages 4 to 7, $15.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-06-000506-8
ISBN: 0-06-000507-6
Quacky Ducky's Easter Fun
Hans Wilhelm
The Easter Bunny is having an anxiety attack. There are two many eggs to decorate and he needs help. He asks Quacky who is delighted to help out. Together they have a great time. Quacky accidentally drips paint on the Easter Bunny and then they decided to have a little fun. They end up decorating themselves to look like painted Easter eggs. The simple story and cute illustrations will probably appeal to young kids, but parent and caregivers beware, kids may want to decorate themselves to look like Easter eggs. A companion book is Quacky Ducky's Easter Egg.2004 (orig. 2002), HarperFestival/HarperCollins, Ages 6 mo. to 2, $5.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-06-053431-1
Quacky Ducky's Easter Egg
Hans Wilhelm
Quacky Duck is really excited, he saw the Easter Bunny and he found a bunch of eggs. Of all the fancy ones gathered together, Quacky decides that he like the plain white one best. He picks it up, but it is so heavy that he drops the egg and it cracks. Filled with remorse Quacky is pictured with tears rolling down his bill. But what a surprise, a fluffy yellow chick emerges and now Quacky has a new friend. Cheerful illustrations fill the pages of this large format board book. The simple story and cute illustrations will probably appeal to young kids, but parent and caregivers beware, they may want an Easter chick of their own. A companion book is Quacky Ducky's Easter Fun.2004 (orig. 2002), HarperFestival/HarperCollins, Ages 6 mo. to 2, $5.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-06-053430-3
Show Me the Bunny
Steven Banks
Illustrated by C. H. Greenblatt and William Reiss
Thinking that the Easter Bunny is a monster, Patrick frightens him away. When he tell SpongeBob Squarepants what he has done, SpongeBob decides to don a bunny costume and hide the eggs himself. Even with the eggs right under his nose, Patrick cannot find them so SpongeBob offers some of his. Patrick takes them all. He brings them back, however, when he discovers an enormous egg. Much to his surprise, when it cracks open, a monster fish comes out and begins to chase them. The end. This insipid little story is an affront to beginning readers. There are poor attempts at humor in both the text and illustrations. The sarcasm of Squidward may have appeal to pre-adolescents who watch the television show but it is inappropriate for primary grade children, and would be lost on older emergent readers. This little paperback comes complete with an advertisement for a SpongeBob Squarepants video game on the back inside cover, making us painfully aware of why this book was printed. "Ready-to-Read" series, level 2. 2004, Simon Spotlight/ Nickelodeon/ Simon & Schuster, Ages 5 to 7, $3.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-689-86485-X
Spot's First Easter
Eric Hill
That cute little puppy Spot and his friend Helen the hippo take their Easter baskets and hunt for eggs both outside and inside the house. Readers will lift the flaps to see where the eggs are hidden. Glimpses of the Easter Bunny can be found on each page as Spot and Helen search. The vivid colors of the springtime setting and Spot's Mom arranging cut daffodils will appeal to toddlers. Hill maintains lots of white space on each page so young readers can focus on Spot. Spot's curious preschool behavior and his thoughtfulness at the end make this appropriate for its audience The flaps in this paperback edition are not as thick as the board book and will require a gentle approach. Similar in set up to the other lift-the-flap books about Spot and his adventures, this will appeal to current Spot fans and will help gain new ones. 2004 (orig. 1988), Puffin Books/ Penguin Young Readers, Ages 2 to 5, $6.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-14-240084-x
A Tale of Easter
Tasha Tudor
You can guess when Easter is near when Mama "makes you stand still while she fits a new dress on you" and when she makes hot cross buns on Good Friday. If you have been good all year, "you will dream the loveliest dreams" the night before Easter and Tudor describes a fantasy in which the young girl rides into the air on the back of a fawn. This nostalgic look back at a rural childhood in the early to mid-twentieth century is sweet and gentle. Tudor's illustrations of bunnies, little mice, lambs and ducklings (always as a twosome) are very appealing. This is for a child who appreciates looking at nature in a quiet tale.2004 (orig. 1941, 1969), Aladdin Paperbacks/ Simon & Schuster, 4 to 7, $5.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-689-86694-1
Ten Little Eggs
Jean Marzollo
"10 little eggs in a world so fine...One became a red bird, and then there were nine." So begins the countdown from 10 to 1, where a different colored bird comes out of each egg. The rhymed text will help young children determine which number comes next. Raised "egg halves" provide a tactile experience for toddlers. They are in dye-cut ovals. As the countdown continues, only the appropriate number of eggs appears on the page allowing children to associate the numeral with the number. Each egg is a different color and has its own design. Additional arithmetic problems can be discussed, such as counting the number of birds as well as the number of eggs. This will work well in the Spring themes of birds and eggs, and will make a good addition to an Easter Basket. 2004, HarperFestival/HarperCollins, Ages 1 to 4, $10.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-06-053052-9
This Little Egg Went to Market
Harriet Ziefert
Illustrations by Emily Bolam
Two eggs, one white, one brown, face very different fates in this lift-the-flap book. The white egg is taken to the farm market in a big red truck, where it is sold to a smiling family. The mom, son, and daughter store the egg, boil it, and decorate it for Easter. The brown egg stays on the farm, where it is warmed by its mother hen until the chick hatches and meets its parents. Adults may find the tale of the Easter egg's life cycle a little morbid, but kids will probably enjoy making the connection between the farm and their holiday decorations. The flaps are sturdy and well designed, with wings to peek under, pot lids to lift, and large full-page illustrations that flip to reveal new scenes, rendered in a cartoon style with bold black outlines. 2003, Puffin/Penguin, $6.99. Ages 2 to 6. Reviewer: Norah Piehl (Children's Literature)
ISBN: 0-14-250012-7
What's hatching?
Mara Conlon
Illustrated by Hala Wittwer
A shiny board book in the shape of an egg is full of spring colors which makes it seem to be an apt text for an Easter theme. However, aside from the chick and the yellow egg, it really is about two new infants--a chick that has just hatched from the glittered egg, which is the cover of the book, and a butterfly which is coaxed out of its cocoon by rhyming text. The two wander alone--briefly (the book is only five page spreads) until they discover each other and learn that best friends make the world that much more fun to explore. The text is positive and encouraging to those beginning so many things for the first time. 2003, Grosset & Dunlap/Penguin Putnam, $5.99. Ages 1 to 4. Reviewer: Sarah Seage (Children's Literature)
ISBN: 0-448-43122-X
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