Easter Archives -

Best New Easter Board Books for Children – A Roundup

April 12, 2017
goodreadswithronna
Ages 2-5, Ages 3-5, Ages 4-8, Animals, Animals - Birds, Animals - Bunny Rabbits, Animals - Rabbits, Board Books - Interactive Books, Children's Book Reviews, Emotions & Feelings, Holidays & Festivals - Easter, Holidays & Festivals - Easter, Juvenile Fiction, Juvenile Fiction - Nature & the Natural World, Kindness, Legends, Tucker

If you know any little ones already thinking
about Easter egg hunts and
baskets full of chocolate candy,
this roundup of new Easter board books
IS FOR YOU!

Tucker Digs Easter!
Written and illustrated by Leslie McGuirk
(Candlewick Press; $7.99, Ages 2-5)

Everyone’s favorite, Tucker, is back in Tucker Digs Easter! This adorable white dog is excited about the arrival of spring “when there’s lots of soft dirt for digging!” In fact, he’s such a pro at digging all kinds of holes to hide his bones and toys that it’s no surprise when the Easter Bunny recruits him to help dig holes for the big Easter egg hunt. But what happens after the pair dig and hide so well that the children cannot find any eggs? Then it’s Tucker to the rescue to dig, dig, dig again to find those well hidden eggs and bring smiles to all the children’s faces. This 28 page board book is a great way to make new Tucker fans while getting youngsters excited about the upcoming holiday.

The Easter Egg
Written and illustrated by Jan Brett
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons; $8.99, Ages 3-5)

Do you love Jan Brett? Then you’ll be delighted The Easter Egg is now available in board book format with a gorgeous foldout spread adding to this book’s appeal. Hoppi is going to decorate his “first-ever Easter egg!” and he wants it to be extra special. Searching for ideas, Hoppi visits various friends for inspiration. Everyone is so helpful and eager to assist him, offering super suggestions and samples. But everything looks so hard to do. It’s only when Hoppi spots a fallen blue robin’s egg that he realizes what he must do. After caring for the egg and eventually befriending the baby robin, Hoppi’s good deed is rewarded by the Easter Bunny in the most satisfying way. As always, Brett’s artwork is a treat to behold. Easter-themed borders surround each sturdy page and pictures of Hoppi’s rabbit friends busy creating their egg masterpieces hug the sides. Be sure also to point out to children all the robin activity woven into each border at the top of almost every page because that’s a whole other story in itself!

The Story of The Easter Bunny
Written by Katherine Tegen
Illustrated by Sally Anne Lambert
(Harper Festival; $7.99, Ages 4–8)

Now a charming 32 page board book, The Story of The Easter Bunny transports readers to what appears to be a quaint English village filled with thatch roofed cottages and cobblestone streets. It’s here that “,,, a round old couple were making Easter eggs.” As they dutifully toiled away, their little rabbit watched. He watched until he learned their tasks by heart so that one day, when the round old couple overslept, the little rabbit knew just what he had to do. The tables turned and now the round old couple were helping their little rabbit until one day they were simply too old to continue. Afraid that the village children would find him out, the little rabbit moved to “… a shadow-filled wood nearby.” There, with help from his friends, he carried on the tradition he had learned so well and to this day the Easter Bunny continues to spread cheer by delivering his baskets to children everywhere. Sharing this store requires carefully studying the stunning spreads so as not to miss a single detail Lambert’s included. I think some yummy chocolate should be required to accompany very reading!

Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Jez Alborough’s Six Little Chicks

March 19, 2013
goodreadswithronna
Ages 2 and up, Children's Book Reviews, Juvenile Fiction

The author of Hug and Duck In The Truck is back with a playful tale of some lucky, plucky little chicks!

Forget the three little pigs and think chicks; five little chicks to be precise, with one on the way. But it isn’t Mother Hen who saves the day.

In author/illustrator Jez Alborough’s Six Little Chicks (Barrons, $6.99, ages 2 and up), “The big bad fox is on the prowl.” And who but the ever alert owl is the first farm friend to sound the fox alarm. Despite all her valiant efforts to keep her offspring safe by having them play close to the chicken hut, Mother Hen must also pay attention to her soon-to-hatch egg. While protecting the egg, Mother Hen hears a “HONK HONK HONK!” from a slightly freaked-out fowl. Goose is warning her that “The big bad fox is on the loose.” After looking all around, Mother Hen must return to the egg.

Told in catchy rhyme, Six Little Chicks will entertain toddlers and pre-schoolers with its repetition of sounds like “click, clack, click,” “peck, peck, peck,” and “cheep, cheep, cheep.” Alborough’s artwork always manages to convey both wit and warmth. The animals’ facial expressions are worth the read alone. And while the tale may be a cautionary one, it’s also one of community because Owl and Goose help fend off the hungry fox from a potential feeding frenzy.

The real stars of the story are the five unassuming, playful, plucky and happy-go-lucky, chicks. They are indeed lucky when you find out how they stick it to the fox just in the nick of time! I’ll give no spoilers here, but I will recommend getting the book, an affordable paperback perfect for Easter, springtime and story time.

-Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Welcome Easter and Spring

“When signs of spring are in the air,
we look for babies everywhere!”

Pick up a copy of the board book version of Easter Babies: A Springtime Counting Book ($6.95, Sterling Children’s Books, ages birth to 3), and share some sunshine and number fun with your little ones. Written by Joy N. Hulme with pictures by Dan Andreasen, this Easter book is a perfect introduction to baby animals and counting. Come along to the farm and count in rhyme:

“In grassy meadows 7 lambs,
frolic on frisky feet.

8 piglets wiggle near their mom,
to find a place to eat.”

Everything about this book is sweet and adorable from the darling illustrations of sleeping kittens to cheeping chicks. Celebrate this wonderful season and holiday with all the babies including yours and read this book today. Give it as an Easter basket gift or just buy it to keep in your diaper bag for warm weather outings. Happy Easter!

Reviewed by Ronna Mandel