Now that April has begun, Easter is just around the corner. This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday. Over the years I have struggled with what to put in the Easter basket. One of my favorite non-candy items is books. Today I am going to share two new board books with you that are perfect for those Easter baskets for kids whose age ranges from 1 to 4. The first is The Story of Easter by Patricia A. Pingry.
From the Publisher:
Discover the story of the first Easter day in this newly illustrated classic, perfect for little ones curious about the story behind their Easter celebrations.Expertly crafted for the attention span of toddlers, this simple book tells the biblical story of Easter—from Jesus' entry into Jerusalem to his triumphant Resurrection. The story also helps little listeners understand the connection between the first Easter and today's celebrations. With bright illustrations and a toddler-friendly length of just 200 words, this book is a gentle, age-appropriate way to introduce Jesus and the meaning behind the Easter holiday. And it makes a great addition to any Easter basket!
From Me:
Now I discovered Patricia A. Pingry's religious books when Hazel was young. One of her Christmas books taught Hazel the story of Christmas. I have reviewed several of her books both religious and non-religious in the past. I love how her story gives some details of the religious story in a way that young minds can understand. This book is slightly different. It starts with modern day families. I love that they are multicultural! This book shares a short bit about Jesus and his work without overdoing it.
It brushes on the events of Holy Week. As you can see in the sample page above it is Palm Sunday. One of my only critiques of this book is that the angel is the fairest skin person in the entire book. Otherwise, I love the explanation of Easter for young children without getting into some of the scary aspects. It also goes into why we go to church and sing about Jesus on Easter as well as why there are crosses on churches.
This book is a perfect introduction for little ones to the story behind Easter. It gives them a glimpse at the religious meaning of Easter. It is truly the perfect addition to an Easter basket for an infant or toddler!
Our second book is a non-religious book about Easter. It is Where's My Easter Basket? by Bob Holt.
From the Publisher:
Join the silliest Easter quest with this board book about a bluebird who learns to think inside the basket.In Where's My Easter Basket? a little bluebird is looking for an Easter basket, but no one has seen one. As he searches, he encounters a fluffy yellow chick, some sweet little jellybeans, colorful painted eggs, and an empty basket. The sweet little quest concludes when the bluebird's new friends cooperate to satisfy the search. Combining exuberant art, sweet characters, and a fresh crop of silliness, Bob Holt's Where's My Easter Basket? is just the board book you've been hunting for.
From Me:
This is one of those adorable books that little ones will love. The illustrations are fun, and the story is one where each new friend joins the search. Little Bluebird does not know what an Easter basket is and asks everyone he meets if they are an Easter basket. He meets a fluffy yellow chick, some jellybeans, a chocolate rabbit, an Easter egg and finally an empty basket. The basket, of course, invites them all to jump in so he can be an Easter basket.
It is a cute story that a toddler will love. The pictures are fun and let's face it who doesn't like meeting some jellybeans and a delicious chocolate bunny. It is the perfect book to introduce Easter baskets to kids and just a fun one to read to them. I hope you will check out both of these books for your little ones this season!
