Best books for children about Easter
Many children look forward to Easter. They can’t wait to meet the Easter bunny and have their picture taken with him. They also can't wait for the basket of goodies he brings. They also look forward to decorating eggs and going on Easter egg hunts. Christian children love all of these things yet are also taught the Christian meaning of Easter as well. What better way to celebrate the fun side of Easter while learning about the more serious side than with books?
Secular Easter Books
Like with most holidays, Easter is commercialized. There are a variety of non-religious Easter books out there that will delight a child of any religion. Out of the hundreds of books you could buy, here are a few of the best books to keep on your child’s book shelf.
Here Comes Peter Cottontail- “Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail….” has been sung for generations around Easter time. Every child’s library should have this timeless tale of Peter Cottontail. There are several versions and illustrations of Peter Cottontail but Golden Books always brings this classic to life for children of all ages.
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown- Charles Schultz was not only a master with his Peanuts series, but brought each holiday to life through the Peanuts characters. Easter is no exception. As always, Linus looks forward to a visit from the holiday’s character and the rest of the Peanuts gang are skeptical. Regardless, Snoopy arrives as the Easter Beagle to make Easter memorable.
Lilies, Rabbits, and Painted Eggs: The Story of Easter Symbols- There are several legends and lore that surrounds Easter. Children will learn the meanings of various Easter symbols, stories and traditions in this delightfully entertaining book. Edna Berth created this book for children from the ages of 9 to 12 years old.
Easter Mice!- Bethany Roberts brings a cute and funny story to preschoolers. All of the holiday mice go out on an Easter egg hunt but one mouse is distract by how beautiful the day is and doesn’t find eggs with the rest of the mice. Then he stumbles upon a very special egg. Find out why it’s so special when you buy the book.
Hop to It: A Scholastic Treasury of Easter Tales- If you aren’t looking to clutter your child’s bookcase with Easter book, yet want them to have plenty of Easter stories available, consider buying one book filled with seven exciting and entertaining stories. The Easter stories included in this book are The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Clifford’s Happy Easter, Peter Cottontail, The Best Easter Hunt Ever, Bunny Trouble, More Bunny Trouble and The Easter Ribbit.
Christian Easter Books
For those who celebrate Easter from a Christian perspective, here are a few books that should be considered a must for any Christian child’s library. This will help bring the story of Jesus to life and how it relates to the celebration of Easter.
The Easter Story- Patricia Pingry takes your child through Jesus’ ministry leading up to His crucifixion and ultimately His resurrection in a way that is simple for a child to understand. The Easter Story is focused toward children who are between the ages of 4 and 8 years old. It actually comes in three formats: paperback, a board book, and even an e-book.
Benjamin’s Box: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs- This 40-page, hardcover book is another must have for Christian families. Go on a journey with Benjamin as he learns more about Jesus. Also learn more about what he keeps in his box and how it relates to salvation and Easter.
The Week that Leads to Easter- Children will learn about the events leading up to the resurrection of Jesus. Based on bible verses, this book starts with Palm Sunday and goes through key events, then finally ends with Jesus’ return. The story is a rhyming story which makes it easy for children to remember.
Easter is celebrated in religious ways and nonreligious ways. There are several books available for children to learn about the fun cultural side to Easter and to learn the Christian meanings of Easter. Regardless, having books about Easter that are easy to understand will make each Easter more memorable.
