Easter is one of my favorite times of year. I adore the pastels, the tulips poking up through the ground, the warmer weather, the newborn animals and, of course, the time to reflect on my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have also begun collecting a few spring- and Easter-themed books to read with my kids each year. They look forward to seeing them on our shelf each spring. Here are nine picture books for Easter you’ll love.
Rechenka’s Eggs by Patricia Polacco. I absolutely love this story about a Russian woman everyone calls Babushka, who is known for the eggs she paints each year for the Easter festival. She rescues an injured goose she calls Rechenka, and unfortunately Rechenka accidentally breaks the eggs Babushka painted for the festival. Luckily, Rechenka has a surprise in store. This is a sweet folk story about kindness, but it really stands out because of the gorgeous illustrations. I always want to paint eggs after reading this.
Hush, Little Bunny by David Ezra Stein. I always smile when I see books from this author-illustrator because of the muted colors he uses and the cute creatures he draws. This one is a play on the classic lullaby “Hush, Little Baby” and focuses on a little bunny and his papa. Though the little bunny is sad that winter is over, the papa tells him all the reasons why spring is wonderful. Such an adorable book, especially if you have toddlers.
The Runaway Egg by Katy Hudson. We bought this book several years ago because my kids thought it was SO funny. They still love this story about a mama hen who asks Chick to keep an eye on his baby brother for a few minutes until she gets back. The twist is that his baby brother still hasn’t hatched yet — but of course he pokes his legs through soon after Mama leaves and runs off, making Chick chase him all over the farm.
The Little Rabbit by Nicola Killen. All of Nicola Killen’s books are adorable and have the most beautiful foil-printed pages. In this gentle story, a little girl sets off to explore with her toy bunny after the rain stops. As they’re walking outside, her bunny comes to life and takes off to follow some other bunnies. Ollie has to catch her bunny and somehow get back home. If you’ve read Nicola Killen’s other creature books (like The Little Reindeer) you’ll love this one.
The Bunny Book by Richard Scarry. This is one of those classics you’ll probably remember from your childhood. When a little bunny is born, all of his family members ponder what he’ll be when he grows up. One family member believes he’ll be a firefighter. Another suggests the bunny will be a policeman, and someone else thinks he’ll be a pilot. As each family member gives ideas about what the bunny will be, he thinks about what he wants to do.
Egg by Kevin Henkes. I say this every time I share a Kevin Henkes book, but I seriously love everything he writes and illustrates. This one is a graphic novel, with the pictures showing how four eggs (pink, blue, yellow, and green) start to crack and hatch. The twist at the end will surprise and delight you. Even though we’ve read this book many times, it always makes me smile.
The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown. My mom could tell you that this was one of my favorite books as a kid, and I read it over and over. I’m really not sure why I found it so interesting, but Leonard Weisgard’s illustrations are enchanting. It’s a simple story about a bunny who wants an egg to crack open, so he pushes and rolls it and tries to get it to crack. Eventually, the bunny falls asleep and a baby duck pops out of the egg and starts pushing and prodding the bunny. It’s really simple, but I absolutely loved this when I was about four years old.
The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by Du Bose Heyward. I never read this one as a kid, and I actually think it means more to me as an adult. A mama bunny who has 21 children (!) spends all of her time cooking and cleaning for her family but yearns to be picked as the Easter bunny. When Grandfather Bunny is seeking a replacement, he picks her for the job. She and her family then work together to make sure she can deliver the eggs. This book was published in the 1930s and was seriously ahead of its time.
The Good Egg by Jory John. Who can resist a book full of egg puns that also teaches kids about the dangers of perfectionism? My kids LOVE all of the books in the Jory John/Pete Oswald series (The Bad Seed is my favorite). This one about an egg that starts to crack from the pressure he puts on himself has a great message and really endearing illustrations.
Pick a Perfect Egg by Patricia Toht and Jarvis. We LOVE all of the books from this author and illustrator, and this brand-new book about Easter traditions would be a great addition to your collection.
These books focus on springtime and the secular parts of Easter because I feel the Bible does the best job teaching kids about Christ. However, I’m interested in religious books if you share those with your kids.
Do you have favorite picture books for Easter? I’d love to know what you’re reading!
