Kids Books Filled With Mischievious Easter Tales
Editor’s Note: If you missed out on Rebecca’s morning post about the gift of imagination, you can read it HERE. Now, Robin is here with three great Easter themed books for kids.
Since Valentine’s Day there has been a bit of a countdown in our house. The tiny person doesn’t really care that much about presents or getting extra stuff. But, she will start checking off the days immediately if she knows there is a strong possibility of chocolate. She is obviously her father’s daughter because if you ask Ken and her what their favorite holidays are they would say Halloween and Easter, because there’s chocolate en mass.
So, since the last chocolate-related holiday, I get “Is it Easter yet?” every day. It’s the most enthusiastic time of the year for her in terms of crafts and stories for one simple reason – the tiny person figures that the more Easter projects she completes, the closer she is to that giant chocolate bunny.
This year, though, she has been a bit more particular about the story part of the deal. Mom’s idea of old skool sweetness has been booted out the door and replaced by funny, goofy stories that are all about bunnies in a wee bit of mischief. I’d try to fight it. But, the books she ended up loving this year are really pretty darn cute.
Here are the top three from the tiny person Easter collection:
Writer/illustrator Hans Wilhelm came in tops with his fun story Bunny Trouble. Soccer-crazed bunny Ralph cannot be bothered with preparations for Easter and, what do you know, he got caught by the farmer and put in a cage. The other bunnies devised a plan to get him out before he became dinner and, with the help of the children, it worked.
He still loved soccer. But, Easter duties made a bit more sense to him after that one. It’s a cute story that’s all about working together, being a part of a team and realizing that you can be yourself even in a group. Smiles all around.
Number two on the list is Lorna Balian’s Humbug Rabbit. Written 30 years ago, it’s one of those timeless kid tales about the grumpy dad rabbit who wouldn’t buy the whole Easter Bunny story and was “proven wrong” by circumstance. Our daughter loved it because she was sure the dad just pretty much needed some chocolate. When all of the chicks hatched out of the Easter eggs that “magically” showed up in their burrow, he gave in to the joy and stopped being such a grump.
The simple, traditional illustrations make the book fun, easy to follow and terribly charming. We’ve read it about 100 times.
Last, I slipped a winner in there.
One of my very favorite books as a kid was The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard. Originally written in 1945, the old skool illustrations and sugary sweet story make my heart completely sing. After a trip to Tiger Lilly Farm in Errington a few weekends ago, this book soared to the top of the tiny person’s Easter list (Yay, I win!)
Oh… my…. goodness. So, a lonely bunny finds a single egg. He can’t wait to find what’s inside and goes through some guessing, rolling, tapping and other tests to see if he can figure it out.
Then, a chick hatches and gives that bunny a bit of the treatment trying to figure out what that crazy bunny was. Then, they became friends and no one was ever alone again.
Awwww…
Three great, kid-tested tales for the Easter season. You can find them at your local library, or pick them up at your local independent bookseller.
Book covers courtesy of Golden Books, Star Bright Books and Scholastic.
Category: ARTS & LITERACY, Rainy Day Book Club
About the Author (Author Profile)
Robin Rivers is Our Big Earth’s Publisher and Sr. Partner. Able to survive on coffee alone. Often can be found leaping tall buildings with the help of great friends. Predisposed to odd hats and the color orange. In love with imagination, her kids and that crazy guy who married her.Subscribe
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I remember loving the illustrations in The Golden Egg Book as a child. I also loved The Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian. I will definitely have to check out The Humbug Rabbit!