Book Description

After being initiated into a neighbor's family by a solemn backyard ceremony, a young Russian American girl and her African American brothers determine to buy their gramma Eula a beautiful Easter hat. But their good intentions are misunderstood, until they discover just the right way to pay for the hat that Eula's had her eye on. A loving family story woven from the author's childhood.Polacco has outdone herself with these joyful, energetic illustrations, her vibrant colors even richer and more intense than usual, while authentic details enhance the interest. A unique piece of Americana.--Kirkus Reviews, pointer review In this moving picture book, the hatred sometimes engendered by racial and religious differences is overpowered by the love of people who recognize their common humanity. --Booklist, starred, boxed review The text conveys a tremendous pride of heritage as it brims with rich images from her characters' African American and Russian Jewish culturesA tribute to the strength of all family bonds. --Publishers Weekly, starred review ... Read more

Book Description

Once upon a mountaintop, three trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

An excellent addition to my Christian library.
I wasn't even looking for a childrens book the other day when I accidentally happened upon "The Tale of Three Trees". I was brought nearly to tears by this touching little tale. I took it home and read it to my children that very night at bedtime, and even they were touched by this story. The sysnopsis above really tells it all. It is a story of Gods love for us, and his own unique gifts to us all in this world. I plan on giving it as a gift to friends with children, so they may share this special little story with them as well.

WOW! This blew me away!
I had never heard this story before and had no idea what to expect when I read it...as I got to the part about the third tree's destiny, I started crying - it touched me that much...what a great lesson is contained in this simple tale -- each tree's dream was fulfilled although not precisely in the way that they anticipated...excellent jumping off point for discussions with little ones -- As the room mom for my 5-year-old son's kindergarten class, I got this book for his teacher's birthday and had all the children "sign" it - the teacher was touched by this powerfully moving story, as were the parents who came to her party...really a great book to keep and especially to give.

Good, easy read for Christian children
My homeschooled children (grades 1 & 3) enjoy reading this from time to time. The binding is great, the pictures are good, the print is large, and the text is easy to read. A touching classic.

Great Book!
I received this book from my parents for a Christmas gift when I was 25 years old. And I love it! It has become my favorite book to give as gifts to every child...young and old. This book stays on my coffee table through out the year and I pick it up and read it all the time.

The story is very good and really makes you think about what God has in store of each of us...usally not what we think!

Would definitely recommend to every one!

Tale of Three Trees- - - - - Spectacular
I received this book for Christmas this year totally amazed that my friend would sent me a child's book I thought of it as some sort of joke!! But as I read through the pages and looked at the pictures, my eyes filled with tears as the story unfolded, each tree received their wish, I was just amazed! Excellent book for young and old alike. I am glad my friend sent me this to treasure for years to come!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Owen adores Easter. Life doesn't get much better than a basket full ofjelly beans ("My favorite"), gumdrops ("My favorite"), buttercream eggs ("Myfavorite"), and a chocolate bunny ("My favorite"). Unless... there's also alittle yellow marshmallow chick the same color as our hero's fuzzy blanket.Decked out in his purple plaid Easter finery, this boy mouse spends a giddy dayplaying with his sugary new pal. And does he succumb to tasty temptation? Howdare you even think such a thing! Kevin Henkes, in picture books such as Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse,Sheila Rae's PeppermintStick, and our introduction to the blanky-toting mouse, Owen, creates recognizablecharacters in familiar settings and preschool predicaments. His bright,spring-hued illustrations and gently humorous plots are tremendously appealingfor readers young and old. In no time, this cute little board book will haveevery youngster announcing, "My favorite." (Baby to preschool) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Cute easter book but short
this is a sweet little board book for little ones. I swear it was written in 5 minutes, i wish i would have done it first!

Great for teacher to use with a follow-up activity
Anyone who grew up finding marshmallow chicks in their Easter basket can relate to this story. When i was a kid they were yellow. Now these chicks come in all colors. I am a kindergarten teacher. My students loved this book. Now, one child takes it home with an Owen plush and a plastic egg with a marshmallow chick inside. They don't know what color their chick is until they get home. I provide a journal for them to document the color, write a story about their visit with Owen and draw a picture. They LOVE it!

A sugary sweet tale
This story is a perfect read for Easter or any time of the year! While my child loves to bite the head off of his marshmallow chicks, he could understand Owen's attachment to the treat. Owen projects his emotional attachment of his favorite blanket onto the marshmallow chick (that is the same color as his blanket)and doesn't gobble it up like his other holiday treats. This ending is absolutely priceless and we read this story at least once a week. Since there is no focus on spirituality or religion in this board book, it would be appropriate in a home of any faith (especially with those who are fans of marshmallow chicks!). Highly recommended!

"My Favorite....."
No author captures the essence of a preschooler like Kevin Henkes. "On Easter monring, Owen's basket was full." Little blanket toting Owen jumped for joy as he first surveyed and then gobbled down all his "favorites." There were jelly beans and gumdrops, buttercream eggs and a big chocolate bunny. And then there was a little yellow marshmallow chick. "It was the same color as his fuzzy yellow blanket." And Owen loved it. He didn't eat the chick, but played with it all day. At bedtime, Owen decided to put "his favorite" on the shelf with his best toys. Sweet dreams..... Henkes' simple and gentle text is kept to a minimum. The real story is told through his bright and engaging artwork, and youngsters will enjoy the charming facial expressions and special details in each illustration. Perfect for little ones 4 and younger, Owen's Marshmallow Chick is a sweet and tender board book you don't want to miss.

An Easter Board Book
We got this as a gift for our 4 month old. He loves the colorful illustrations. The story is basic and children will easily relate to the easter basket of goodies. I can see this book being valuable when he learns to read. Also I'll never look at a marshmallow chick (aka Peep) the same way again! ... Read more

Reviews (27)

The best Easter book-and read it the rest of the year, too!
I read this book when I was six and enjoyed it very much. But when I re-read it over 30 years later, I loved it with all my heart. This is a wonderful story about a mother bunny who never lets go of her dream. It's a wonderful story for showing the love between mother and child and for inspiring bunnies (and people!) to never give up. And to think that the author did this without being "preachy". I can't think of a better book to read to your children or give to your niece/nephew/grandchild for Easter. Or maybe just read for yourself.

Through a Six-Year-Old's Mind
I was born in 1940. This book was read to me once in first grade. I remembered not only the story, but the beautiful illustrations. Twenty years later I called my first grade teacher to ask for the book title so I could read it to my children. "The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes," she had remembered. As I read this to my children, I saw my life had been influenced by this wonderful story. Dubose Heyward wrote one book in 1939. He wrote to tell young females that they can grow up to follow their dreams and have a family. That they can get past social expectations, and past the people who aren't cheering them on, and that we all have a special destiny if we trust ourselves enough to persist against the odds which then sets the example for our children to do the same.

The Country Bunny and The little Golden Shoes
In 2004, I am 45 years old, but this book has been a part of my whole life. I was first exposed to it by my mom , and it is part of my earliest childhood easter memories. When I had children, it became part of their earliest memories. They love the story, the pictures, the whole package--it is incredibly readable and captures the attention of even my teenager. They both have their own copies, which they have assured me, will go with them when they leave and so I must order one for myself, since my brother got the one from OUR childhood!!! Make memories!! have a wonderful time.

Great Story
This is a well told story about a mother bunny and her many children. I pull this book out each spring; my children really enjoy the story. Even my youngest who is restless could sit through this story (41 pages) when she was two-years-old. The main focus of the story is the mother bunny's desire to become the Easter Bunny. The story also contains delightful descriptions of the mother bunny's childhood, the selection of the Easter bunnies and the difficult tasks that Easter Bunnies face each year. What I enjoy most about this story is the mother bunny's relationship with her children.

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes.
According to this book, there isn't just one Easter Bunny, but five. When one of them gets too old, then a new one is chose by the grandfather bunny. A poor country bunny named Cottontail wants to be an Easter Bunny. She eventually gets older and has many children. She teaches her children to take care of the house. Then word comes around that one of the Easter bunnies needs to be replaced, so all the bunnys go to the Easter Egg palace to see who can become the next Easter Bunny. Cottontail turns out to be the wisest, swiftest, and kindest bunny. She goes to deliver an egg to a sick boy over many mountains. She goes up the last one, but falls. Then the Grandfather Bunny gives her a special pair of golden shoes that allow her to be able to jump super high and fast, so she can get the egg deliverede. This book is well-written, but I don't think the illustrations are very good. It is written by Du Bose Heyward, and illustrated by Marjorie Hack. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One April morning Thomas and his sister Lucy are gathering eggs from the hens and discussing Easter. But Lucy falls ill with scarlet fever before she gets a chance to tell him about Easter eggs. Thomas is sent to the local candy shop merchants, John and Mary, while his sister is quarantined. One day, when Thomas is lonely and frightened about Lucy, Mary gives him a chocolate Easter egg and tells him the story of Jesus's resurrection.

"But why do we have Easter eggs?" Thomas asked.

Mary explained. "Just as a chick breaks out of an egg, so had Jesus broken free of the tomb of death. Easter eggs remind us that Jesus conquered death and gives us eternal life."

Written by the author/illustrator team of Lori Walburg and James Bernardin, and featuring the same setting and characters from their bestselling The Legend of the Candy Cane, this story reveals the significance of Easter, which lies far beyond the wholesale gobbling of chocolate eggs and jelly beans. (Ages 6 to 9) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Endearing tale of Easter
In this historical fiction story about Easter, a young man learns the legend of the Easter egg and about his faith in Jesus.

Thomas asks his sister about the legend of the Easter egg while they do their chores. Unfortunately she doesn't get a chance to answer him before she gets Scarlet Fever. While staying with friends, he asks about Easter eggs. Thomas finds his answer and prays for the first time.

This endearing story is a great way to explain some of the symbols used to celebrate Easter to young children. A great book to add to the other collectable legend stories like The Legend of the Candy Cane. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

wonderful, colordul read-aloud book
This is a terrific book for reading aloud to one child or many. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is lovely. An old lady lives in the Russian countryside and works all year to enter her painted eggs in the easter contest in Moscow. One day she saves an injured goose. When an accident destroys the woman's painted eggs, the goose lays a beautifully decorated egg each morning until it's time for her to fly away once more -- but not before leaving one more miraculous gift.

This is a lovely story that will excite children's imagination, and the beautiful illustrations will charm young and old alike.

Wonderful for Children of ALL AGES!!
I love Patricia Polacco's books and this one is no exception! This story is great to use both in and out of the classroom. It is great for reading outloud to children or for them to read to you. I have used it in my lesson plans as a teacher to introduce lessons on different ways people celebrate holidays around the world and in the US. I have students grades K-5 and it has been a favorite with all of them...then again all of Patricia Polacco's books seem to be favorites with any child!

Excellent for Easter-time or anytime
Set in Russia, this book tells the story of Babushka, a old grandma who is painting Easter eggs for the big contest in Moscow. She works all winter on her eggs, and also feeds the wild animals that live around her. One day, some hunters shoot a goose; she takes it in and nurses it back to health. She names the goose Rechenka. Quite by accident, Rechenka ruins all of Babuska's beautiful eggs, but she gives the woman magically painted goose eggs in their place. Babushka goes to the contest and wins first prize with Rechenka's fabulous eggs, and when she comes home, she discovers one more very special gift from Rechenka.

Told very simply with large, colorful illustrations, this story is enjoyed by 6-9 year olds. It stresses kindness and gratitude, as well as showing a little about Russian customs. The ending is quite poignant and heartwarming. It's a beautiful book!

A wonderful depiction of love and compassion
This delightful story touched my heart and made me smile . . . It is truly a tale of unfailing loyalty between an unlikely pair: Babushka, an elderly woman and a wounded goose she befriends. The kindness that both show for each other is an important lesson told in the simplicity of Ms. Polacco's writing. A sweet, sweet story that children and adults will both love. ... Read more

Book Description

When Max's Chocolate Chicken was first published in 1989, School Library Journal cheered, "It's cause for celebration when rabbit toddler Max and his bossy sister Ruby return to share another holiday with young readers." Now Dial is proud to present this wonderful story in an updated board book format, featuring a bright new cover illustration and fresh design.Max and Ruby are going on an Easter egg hunt, and Ruby has declared that whoever finds the most eggs will win the chocolate chicken that someone put in the birdbath. "No eggs, no chicken, Max," warns Ruby as her brother wanders off to investigate ants and acorns. But, as always, Max gets the last word—and the chocolate chicken! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

My kids love this book
The best part about this book is realizing -- after several readings -- how Ruby, the older sister, tries to manipulate her little brother by telling him he has to win an egg hunt to win the chocolate chicken. But of course, big sister gets humbled (and her own chocolate chicken) in the end.
This book is my kids' favorite Max and Ruby book, but they are all good, especially Bunny Cakes.

Mitchell LOVED reading this Rosemary Wells book!
I am a 2nd grader at Anna Merritt Elementary School. My name is Mitchell. I have been reading books by Rosemary Wells. My favorite book is MAX'S CHOCOLATE CHICKEN. My favorite part was when Max took the chocolate chicken and hid. He hid so his sister wouldn't find him.

Love it or leave it.
I think the previous reviewer (tabris02) has given good advice. This book will either resonate with you or it won't. We received it as a gift and were a bit puzzled by it, asking grandma, "What kind of lesson are you trying to teach our toddler?" The bulk of the story was cute, as Max mucked about in the yard while Ruby single-mindedly found every Easter egg. But the ending didn't sit well with me...selfishness with no remorse or consequences or even awareness of his sister's feelings. Years later, with three kids, I realize that siblings will learn to be competitive and selfish even without seeing those traits demonstrated in books. So, I've lightened up a bit. But I still don't find myself reaching for this book on our shelf. Of the Max and Ruby stories, I prefer Bunny Cakes. Another of our favorite Rosemary Wells books is Fritz and the Mess Fairy (Fritz is a slob who during one amazing night tries to make it up to his family by cleaning the entire house and fixing them breakfast in bed. In the process, he makes a huge mess again in the kitchen...but his efforts to improve himself and express his love to his family are very endearing!).

poor Ruby..
..thinks her younger brother has stolen the only chocolate chicken!! I can imagine little brothers acting just like Max. Another my daughter loves to have read to her.

I'd recommend library-reading it first
I found this Max book to be mean-spirited. My kids own just about all the other Max books and we enjoy them. My son can sing some of them (to his own tune) and my one-year-old could recite passages from a few of the board books.

I like Max as a mischievous child, but in this one he seemed a little nastier than I felt comfortable sharing with my children. He breaks the rules and gets away with it. This isn't a hands-down non-recommendation of this particular book, but parents ought to be forewarned and maybe preview the book for free from the library before buying it. All of the other Max books are keepers and re-readers, but I found that for my particular household, this book was not a keeper even though we have thoroughly enjoyed all the others. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

So your kid says reading is boring, huh? Try this!
I was distressed when my 6 year-old son informed me that reading was boring. That was before he met the Dumb Bunnies. This book is hilarious, and my son's reaction to it was even more so! He was literally laughing so hard that tears were streaming down his face.

The dumb bunnies are all ready to celebrate Easter on December 24. They have Halloween decorations up around the house, and decorate an Easter tree while waiting for Santa to come in his red minivan pulled by flying Pilgrims.

This is just the sort of goofiness that a 6 year-old will really go for. And the brilliance of the book is that it makes kids think! They are excited to figure out what the dumb bunnies have gotten all wrong, and what should have been done instead. If goofy is what it takes to get kids to read, then I say "Hooray for goofiness!"

Don't try this for bedtime reading, though, because it will wind your little ones up tight!

Sometimes silliness is a virtue, too
Every year I give my nephew a book for Easter. Last year it was "The Country Bunny and the Golden Shoes", an excellent book that I would recommend to the previous reviewer if it's an uplifting tale you're looking for. This year, however, he gets "Dumb Bunnies". Why? Because it's silly, funny, and will make him laugh out loud. And, in my opinion, it's harmless fun. Wouldn't the world be greater if we all had a little silliness in our lives?

The Dumb Bunnie's Easter
I thought this book was very humorous. It was very sweet and I thought the bunny was a good character to choose for this book. Also, It had a higher level of intelligence which was noticeable in the book although they portrayed the book as "dumb." That's exactly what the characters were.

6 year old can't stop laughing
My six year old son loves this book, and all of the Dumb Bunnies books for that matter. They are silly and he has had a great time reading them.

THE DUMB BUNNIES SERIES
I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS COLLECTION OF BOOKS IS THE BEST.MY TWO BOYS, SINCE THEY WERE ABOUT 3 YEARS OLD, HAVE NOT STOPPED READING THESE OVER AND OVER.THEY LAUGH EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT THEY READ THEM. THEY ARE FUNNY, AND ADULTS LOVE THEM TOO.I WISH THERE WERE MORE IN THE SERIES, I WOULD BUY THEM ALL.AN EXCELLENT CHOICE. ... Read more

Book Description

A beautiful story of the hope of resurrection and new life symbolized in the sand dollar ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A tender and heartwarming story of renewal
Illustrated with a superb elegance of grace and form by Rick Johnson, The Legend Of The Sand Dollar: An Inspirational Story Of Hope For Easter by Chris Auer is the story of an eight-year-old girl who learns the story of Easter in the sand dollar. The five holes in the sand dollar shell (only dead sand dollars wash up on beaches, and live sand dollars shouldn't be collected, the author notes in the very back of the book) symbolize the nails and the spear that pierced Jesus Christ, who died for humanity's sins. And when the sand dollar is broken, there appear five white particles representing doves and their promise of new life - the promise of Easter. A tender and heartwarming story of renewal.

THE ILLUSTRATIONS
I am a professor, an artist and a writer. In looking for a book for my little ones I spotted this book. It wasn't the right age group for Hannah, butI spent some time viewing the illustrations and they are wonderful. So I ordered a copy from Amazon for my own collection of illustrated books and art books. I've not seen the work of Rick Johnson before but the paintings in this kids book are terrific. I look forward to seeing and buying more of his work. I did not review the writing of Chris Auer because I know nothing of children's books of this genre, but the art-superwelldone! Artists illustrators, take note-you can learn a few things by studying the work of this fine painter. ... Read more

Book Description

This tale of a child following Jesus during Biblical times to find out who he is will teach your children lessons from the Bible. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Church Reading
I heard a mother tell of reading this book to her children for Easter. My own son is now an adult ( no children yet) but I felt so strongly about the message of the book that I am buying it for my husband's grandchildren.

Share this book with your kids!
This book is a tradition for our family -- our kids eagerly anticipate getting it out of the "Easter" box every spring. The illustrations are very beautiful yet very kid-friendly -- I *loved* the fact that they show children who (despite their era-appropriate clothing) look like any child you'll see today riding down the street on a skateboard. Also, Jesus has dark hair -- the illustrator didn't turn our thoroughly Jewish Lord into a blond haired, blue eyed European as so many artists do. Kudos for that! I can't recommend this book highly enough!

Kids LOVE This!
This book is most effectively used with the Resurrection Eggs sold by FAMILY LIFE. The egg carton contains 12 colorful plastic Easter eggs and each has a small item in it which corresponds to an event which happened to Jesus from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday.

Benjamin's Box is a story about a young boy who follows Jesus during this most important week and he picks up small reminders of the events and puts them in a special box his grandfather gave him. The pages in the book have a colored Easter egg at the top which corresponds to an egg in the Resurrection Egg package. The child finds that egg and opens it to discover the item that Benjamin just picked up.

I used the Benjamin's Box/Resurrection Egg combination with my 5 year old son's Church School class on Palm Sunday. THEY LOVED IT!!! I hid the eggs and let them find them. We then sat down, read the story, and whoever had the corresponding egg for a particular page opened it told how what they found went along with the story. When the story was done, we mixed the eggs all up and opened them at random - the kids remembered how the items related to the story of Jesus after listening to it just one time! I was very impressed (and so were their parents).

I can't recommend this book and the Resurrection Eggs highly enough. ... Read more

Amazon.com

What parent is prepared to answer the question "What does the Easter Bunny have to do with Easter?" This fluffy fellow is not part of traditional Sunday school discussions, yet every spring he makes an appearance in the forms of animated characters, marshmallow treats, and holiday stories. Harold Myra and Jane Kurisu, who have also addressed Christian vs. commercial messages during other holidays in Santa: Are You for Real? and Halloween: Is It for Real?, provide a way of talking about this confusing subjectfor young Christians. When three children begin to question their dad about the connection between the Easter Bunny and the real Easter, he tells them about Jesus being killed on the cross and his resurrection. "The Easter Bunny has nothing to do with the real Easter. The Easter Bunny--along with new leaves and flowers and new baby kittens and baby chicks--is part of how we celebrate spring. But that's all. Spring is God's picture of Jesus rising from the dead as all of nature comes to life again."

Kurisu's spring-bright palette makes a pleasing backdrop to Myra's straightforward, evenhanded text; chocolate bunnies and Easter egg hunts are not disparaged, only placed in context. (Ages 4 to 8) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (5)

It helped me
This book has been around for a while. I grew up with a copy back in the late 70s and I have great memories of it. I grew up in a family that didn't go for the Santa Claus and Easter Bunny myths, and although my parents tried to teach a spirit of kindness and understanding, I had a tendancy to look down my nose at the poor gullible saps who fell for the myths. By providing a historical context for the secular Easter traditioins, this book helped temper my attitude and help me be more respectful of the Bunny Believers around me. It also reinforced my undertanding of the true focus of the holiday and it was nice as a kid to have a pretty picture book that said the same things that my parents did. I highly recommend it and plan on getting a copy of this and the Santa Claus equivalent for my children.

Great Book
This book does a great job explaining how "The Easter Bunny has nothing to do with the real Easter." It gives a simple explanation of Jesus death and how he rose from the grave. It also explains how celebrating Spring (New baby animals , flowers and trees blooming)"is God's picture of Jesus rising from the dead as all of Nature comes to life again" It explains how Eggs and Coloring them became part of the easter tradition and says that spring time and the real Easter got mixed up.

In the book a child ask if it is Ok to celebrate Spring by Hiding eggs The answer is Sure , if we also remember that on the real Easter Jesus rose from the dead. It mentions going to Church to celebrate Easter.The book puts the focus back on Jesus where it should be, and not on the Easter Bunny. I love this book!!!

Easter Bunny Are You for Real?
This is a great book to read with your children to help them see beyond (but yet still enjoy) the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs, and understand the true meaning of Easter in the Christian faith.

Easter Bunny: Are You for Real
This book is an excellent choice for any three (3) to eight (8) year old. It is an especially appropriate choice for a christian family that would like to teach its children about their religious reasons for celebrating Easter. I like the tie-in to the secular message since that is what our children see all around them. The illustrations are very nice and are sure to please your young child. I believe that this is a wonderful addition to our library. It makes the perfect Easter basket gift. My three (3) year-old is the lucky recipient this Easter. I have four (4) children and several hundred childrens titles in our home. I think the whole family will enjoy this book as a read-aloud book.

Share Christ's resurrection without killing the Easter Bunny
Every year I get my girls a book concerning Christ'sresurrection to try and counterbalance the commercialism of Eastertime. However, this year I am excited about offering a book that does more than just show the counterpoint to the Easter Bunny. Mr. Myra does a great job of addressing issues of secular Easter (i.e., bunny, eggs, baby chicks) within the context of the Christian Easter. What a delight to find that this book did not deny or disparage the Easter Bunny (and the joy my 6 year old gets in believing), but rather put this (as well as other traditions i.e., egg coloring, etc.) in the context of spring and Christ's resurrection. I highly recommend this book to Christian parents who want to share the glories of Christ's resurrection without squelching the childhood joys of an Easter Bunny. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

an attention getter
these stories are great for children of all kinds but especially for littler ones because it holds their attention. ... Read more

Amazon.com

From his birth in a lowly stable in Bethlehem, through his miraculous days as healer and prophet, to his death by crucifixion and his resurrection, Jesus's life is chronicled in a friendly, accessible way by Geraldine McCaughrean. Appealing watercolor paintings by Anna C. Leplar harmonize beautifully with McCaughrean's engaging storytelling style. Young readers need not be intimidated by the overwhelming mass of text found in the New Testament; with this introduction to many of its best-known stories, children will be given a taste of the Bible that will whet their thirst for more. The collection includes 38 stories and parables, including "The First Christmas," "Forty Days in the Wilderness," Wicked Women," "A Meal for Five Thousand," and "Jesus on Trial." The talented author/illustrator team also collaborated on the award-winning companion volume, God's People: Stories from the Old Testament. (Ages 8 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Captivating illustrations
When reading this to a third grade class, they didn't want me to stop reading. The poems are fun and the illustrations were beautifully done. I highly recommend for personal libraries for children and teachers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like its sister holiday, Christmas, Easter has become a cultural event as well as a religious holiday. And because traditional Easter customs also represent pagan celebrations of spring and renewal, there is much information for children to digest this time of year. Recognizing and sorting these diverse and fascinating elements in an Easter anthology is quite an ambitious task. Fortunately, renowned illustrator Michael Hague (of The Velveteen Rabbit, The Teddy Bears' Picnic, and The Wizard of Oz) pulls it off with great success. In fact, there are three key reasons why this anthology will become a lifetime keeper. First, the anthology is sensibly divided into four sections: "A Time of Faith" speaks to spiritual belief in a time of death and darkness; "A Time of Rebirth" celebrates the themes of resurrection and renewal; "A Time of Celebration" explores the traditions of eggs, baskets, and bunnies; and "A Time of Love" glorifies nature's wonders and the renewal of a season. Second, the selections are exquisite, with beloved classics such as Oscar Wilde's "The Selfish Giant," William Blake's "Spring," and F.E. Corne's "Whythe Easter Bunny Lays Eggs." Third, Hague's generous pastel-and-watercolor illustrations are child-pleasing and versatile--shadowy and somber as Mary mourns the death of her son, and joyfully sunny for stories such as"The Boy Who Discovered Spring." This fine treasury is a wonderful resource for any family that celebrates Easter. (All ages) --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great For a Family Tradition
...This one caught my eye for several reasons. Michael Hague is a British illustrator who usually illustrates fairy tales and classics like Peter Pan. He's not my "all-time favorite" in terms of style, but he does a good, quality job.

What really got my attention was the table of contents. The book is divided into four sections, each one starting with one of the four resurrection accounts (note: the "sacred art" is not that great on some of the pictures - a little scary!). Then there are stories, hymns and poems grouped according to four themes: "A Time of Faith," "...Rebirth", "...Celebration," and "...Love."Stories include "The Selfish Giant" by Oscar Wilde, "The Maid of Emmaus," "The Boy Who Discovered Spring," "Why The Easter Bunny Lays Eggs," "Bramble and Buckwheat' by Ethel Pochocki (note: who also wrote "Once Upon A Time Saints," a book we had growing up), "The White Blackbird" by Padraic Colum (great author), and "The Rat-Catcher's Daughter." Lots of poems by William Blake, Rossetti, Hopkins, and Aileen Fisher. Well, I bought the book this Christmas...I remembered to bring it out this Easter. It's about the size of a kid's picture book, but thicker (133 pp), and the cover is beautiful! So are the title pages and contents. We started reading it on Easter afternoon (I always cry at "The Selfish Giant's" ending...note: my kids (age 7-down) really liked the "Selfish Giant!") I really liked the hymns and poems. And most of the illustrations were really good (like I said, the resurrection ones weren't that great). The kids have been looking through it over and over. Even though they can't read the stories, they love the pictures. Oh, there's also a section on Easter customs from around the world that I look forward to reading.

So we'll be looking forward to bringing out this book in our home as an Easter tradition, and I recommend it for other families who are in the market for the same kind of book.

Not-too-happy Easter
I was hoping from its description that this book would offer a sort of Unitarian Universalist explanation of Easter and its symbols - one my young children would be able to understand and appreciate, without being scared. Unfortunately we started with the Oscar Wilde tale of the scary giant who eventually meets a boy with big holes in his wrists and immediately dies. Uh...what? Not good bedtime material. We tried some others that were more factual, but unfortunately they either completely blew the cover off the Easter bunny or read like dry essays. The illustrations are pretty, but I'm sending this one back.

Beautiful stories, beautiful artwork
The stunning illustrations will draw you and your children in to this book, where you'll find wonderful stories -- some of which have overtly spiritual themes, some which explain Easter traditions, and others which are just fun. The shorter poems can be read to younger children. I would have given this book 5 stars except that it quotes from the King James Version of the Bible - please, authors, give us more kids books that use age-appropriate versions of the Bible. ... Read more

Book Description

The country bunny attains the exalted position of Easter Bunny in spite of her responsibilities as the mother of twenty-one children. "It is difficult to believe that this very modern feminist tale was originally written in 1939. A gem of a fantasy in which kindness and cleverness win out over size and brawn." (Learning Magazine) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The best easter book ever!
This was my absolute favorite book as a child! It's really one of the only ones I remember besides my Mother Goose book. I bought it for my step-daughter and she loved it as well. It's such a sweet book with pictures that will stay in a child's memory forever.

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes
I remember this book from my childhood and it is still as meaningful and heartwarming to my children today. The Mother Bunny over comes and triumphs not only for herself but her children and the ones that are waiting for her Easter eggs. A loving and tender tale of parenthood and Easter together. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One to Read Again and Again
What a fabulous book!! Everyone in the family enjoys reading and hearing this book again and again. It is so full of fun and imagination. Read it and see...you won't be disappointed.

A major hit with our 3-year old daughter.
Our daughter has taken this book out of her pre-school library 5 weeks in a row. We all love the wonderful, lively illustrations. Most of all, we love the message -- different can be absolutely beautiful! With Mrs. Pennywort's encouragement, the especially talented Pauline can produce any egg she wants. A great story on all levels.

One of our very favorite books!
It has become a tradition in my home to read this book before painting our Easter eggs. The story and illustrations are so comical, colorful and exciting that we can't wait to turn the page and see what happens next. Then we pick our favorite egg. What fun! You won't be disappointed.

Wonderful book for children to expand their imaginations!!!
I teach school, and I love to read this book to my students every year at Easter time. It is a great book to encourage creativity. I also use it to have the students sequence different egg patterns. My students love the story as much as I do. ... Read more

Book Description

"You're someone's dandy, darling deer.
You're someone's lamby-pie.
You're someone's monkey doodle-face.
You're someone's butterfly."

A little bunny celebrates the love that parents and children share. Touch the soft fur on the lovable and adorable animals on each spread, and know that somebunny loves you, too! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A fuzzy board book for Moms, Dads, Daughter & sons!
It's important for all babies and toddlers to touch everything, after all this is how they explore and learn about the world around them. I really like this book because each page has a parent and their child... it could be easily be a Mother or Father with their daughter or son. Each page has a fuzzy spot that you can start out and put the childs' finger on it, then later have your child find where the fuzzy spot is. I love to read this to my daughter and tickle her under her chin on " You're someone's puppy love page! She always giggles when we read this and excitely expect the page when she knows she's going to get softly tickled!

Simple and cute...
Colorful illustrations and cute text... One of our favorites! ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone knows that the Easter Bunny comes every year with a basket of painted eggs andchocolates. But who is the Easter Bunny, and what is his story?

On a snow-cold day in a snug little house ... So begins the true story of the Easter Bunny.

A little white rabbit watches and helps an old couple make chocolate and paint Easter eggs. As each year passes, the little white rabbit helps out a little bit more until he becomes the Easter Bunny, with the help of a few furry friends.

Katherine Tegen has fashioned an original tale that explains the origin of one of childhood's favorite legends. Delicate and marvelously detailed paintings make this magical story completely believable.