Books for Your Easter Baskets

 Are you looking for some ideas to fill those Easter baskets? How about some delightful new books? We've got some lovely suggestions that we think you and your children will enjoy!

Easter Egg Day

Tara Knudson

illustrataed by Pauline Siewert

Board Book

It’s time for Easter eggs—yellow, green, blue, and red! In Easter Egg Day, written by Tara Knudson and illustrated by Pauline Siewert, kids will love watching how plain white eggs turn to colorful zig-zags, stripes, and patterns as this board book celebrates the classic Easter family tradition.

Neighbors, friends,
At the door,
Baskets held,
Eggs galore!

Easter Egg Day’s sweet read-aloud rhymes and bright illustrations are perfect for cherishing holiday memories—and making new ones! Parents and grandparents will love sharing this book with their little ones—who will be inspired to create their own unique eggs after reading this adorable story.

'Twas the Morning of Easter

by Glenys Nellist

illustrated by Elena Selivanova

A follow-up to the popular ’Twas the Evening of Christmas from beloved author Glenys Nellist. ’Twas the Morning of Easter tells the story of the resurrection of Jesus in a fresh way, with a familiar rhythm and rhyme that children will love, following the pattern of Clement Moore’s iconic “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Glenys Nellist, beloved author of the bestselling ’Twas the Evening of Christmas, reveals the joy and beauty of the resurrection of Jesus in a fresh, inspiring way in ’Twas the Morning of Easter. Using the classic cadence of Clement Moore’s iconic poem, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” this gorgeous picture book shares the true story of Easter with little ones with read-aloud rhymes and engaging illustrations by Elena Selivanova. With an eye-catching cover decorated in shining foil and embossing, this book is perfect for any Easter basket and sure to be a treasured Easter tradition for years to come.

The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story

by Jan & Mike Berenstain

Young readers will understand the real meaning behind Easter in this addition to the Living Lights™ series of Berenstain Bears books. Children will discover that Easter is more than candy and egg hunts as they read about the Bear cubs at Sunday school learning about Jesus’ resurrection and salvation.

The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story—part of the popular Zonderkidz Living Lights series of books—is perfect for:

• Early readers ages 4-8—children will enjoy the sheet of colorful stickers included
• Reading out loud at home or in church small groups
• Sparking age appropriate conversations about salvation

He Is Risen

Rocks Tell The Story of Easter

by Patti Rokus

This unique and unforgettable picture book uses rock art and simple text to tell children the story of the miracle of Easter—the resurrection of Jesus. Through the arrangement of a few rocks and powerful words directly from Scripture, the entire Easter story is told in He Is Risen: Rocks Tell the Story of Easter.

Young readers will be intrigued by the nature-filled artwork that shows the death and resurrection of Jesus and the celebration of the very first Easter in a powerful and unique way. He Is Risen is perfect for:

• Children ages 4-8
• Sharing the true story of Easter in a new and memorable way
• Easter gifts, including basket stuffers
• Inspiring creative art projects using natural items such as rocks, sticks, and leaves

Stay This Way Forever

by Linsey Davis

illustrated by Lucy Fleming

Celebrate the joy, wonder, and innocence of being a child with this love letter to the loved ones in your life that encourages them to celebrate their own special qualities now and into the future.

Inspired by the endearing qualities she sees in her own son, Linsey Davis, ABC News correspondent and bestselling author of The World Is Awake and One Big Heart, has written another beautiful book that parents and grandparents can share with their little ones to let them know how special they are. With charming illustrations from bestselling artist Lucy Fleming paired with playful and heartwarming read-aloud rhymes, this book can help make a lasting impact on young minds as they discover their own unique qualities.

Near: Psalm 139

by Sally Lloyd-Jones

illustrated by Jago

From Sally Lloyd-Jones, the author of the bestselling The Jesus Storybook Bible, comes an uplifting new board book in a soft padded format that is a perfect fit for little hands. Inspired by Psalm 139—which begins, “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me”—Near’s lyrical text reminds little ones that God is with them anywhere they go in God’s wide world.

God is my Father who made everything.

And I am a little explorer of the wide world.

He is near me

And he protects me.

He sees me

And he knows me.

He is strong

And he looks after me.He is with me—always!

The Berenstain Bears Learn About Heaven

by Mike Berenstain

Young children are encouraged to ask big questions about heaven in this inspiring addition to the Berenstain Bears Living Lights™ series. As they read about Sister Bear and her curiosity about what heaven is, readers have the perfect opportunity to ask their own questions and discuss what heaven is, where it is, how you get there, and more.

NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls

Created especially for girls ages 8 to 12, this beautiful Bible, sticker sheets and coloring pencil set provides the tools for young artists to express themselves.

Girls will get creative through coloring and journaling in the NIV Beautiful Word™ Coloring Bible for Girls. Included are pencils to color, blend and shade the detailed line art surrounding hundreds of inspiring verses. This Bible gift set is perfect for the special young girl in your life and will become a cherished keepsake full of personalized creative expressions of faith.

Features include:

• Complete text of the accurate, readable and clear New International Version (NIV)
• Over 600 verses illustrated in ready-to-color line art
• Four colored pencils
• Six sheets of stickers designed for girls
• Thick white paper for writing and doodling
• Lined, wide margins for notes and reflections
• Satin ribbon marker
• Beautifully debossed and screen-printed cover
• Exclusive Zondervan NIV Comfort Print® typeface in a readable 8-point print size

Using the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version (NIV) text makes the Bible accessible and easy-to-read for kids. The NIV is the result of over 50 years of work by the Committee on Bible Translation, who oversee the efforts of many contributing scholars. Representing the spectrum of evangelicalism, the translators come from a wide range of denominations and various countries and continually review new research to ensure the NIV remains at the forefront of accessibility, relevance, and authority. Every NIV Bible that is purchased helps Biblica translate and give Bibles to people in need around the world.

Candace's Playful Puppy

by Candace Cameron Bure

illustrated by Christine Battuz

Candace’s Playful Puppy is for every boy or girl who has ever wanted a dog and every parent who knows the responsibility that goes along with caring for a new pet. Written by New York Times bestselling author and actress Candace Cameron Bure, laugh along with this story of a little girl who visits a pet shelter to adopt a cuddly new dog and comes home with a rambunctious pup instead.

We hope this gives you some ideas to fill out that Easter basket. Zonderkidz has a gift guide on their Amazon store which connects to many other resources for gift ideas.

Have a blessed Easter!

Disclaimer: I received copies of these books from Zonderkidz to facilitate this post.

The Berenstain Bears' Easter Blessings by Mike Berenstain {Children's Book Review}

The Berenstain Bears' Easter Blessings

Mike Berenstain

Juvenile Fiction (ages 2-5)

An engaging lesson from the iconic Bear family about the true blessing of Easter—the Resurrection of Jesus.

In The Berenstain Bears' Easter Blessings, the cubs learn about the many blessings in their lives, and especially the greatest blessing of all—the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter. The short, simple story and well-loved characters provide toddlers with a perfect introduction to this very important Christian holiday.

My Thoughts

What Easter basket would be complete without a new Berenstain Bears book? Mike Berenstain continues his parents tradition of putting out an adorable book that gently lets us explore the Easter holiday with out little ones.

In The Berenstain Bears' Easter Blessings we meet up with our favorite Bear family on Easter morning. We start out with family breakfast and then the grandparents arrive with Easter baskets. After a little reminder that the baskets are for after church the whole family ventures out to partake in the Easter celebration at Chapel in the Woods.

Throughout the book little ones are reminded to give thanks for the blessings all around them. While the story of Christ's crucifixion isn't discussed it is pointed out that Easter is a time to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. This is a book intended for 2 to 5 year-olds so it is intended as a conversation starter for parents to introduce all that went on during Christ's last days as it becomes appropriate for the child's development stage.

As with all of the Berenstain Bears' books this one is adorable and sure to be read over and over. I recommend it for all the little ones at your Easter celebrations.

The Legend of the Easter Robin by Dandi Daley Mackall {Children's Book Review}

The Legend of the Easter Robin

An Easter Story of Compassion and Faith

Dandi Daley Mackall

Illustrated by Richard Cowdrey

Juvenile Fiction (ages 4-8)

In the center of the nest lay one perfect egg, the color of a spring sky. The father robin sat on a branch nearby, guarding his family. Tressa spotted raccoon tracks below and a blue jay eyeing the nest.

"Gran, how are we going to keep the egg safe?"

"We'll have to leave that one to the Creator." Gran said.

Robins have built a nest on the window ledge at Grandmother's house! Tressa is thrilled--and concerned. What will happen to the sky-blue egg laid by the mother robin? As more eggs appear, Tressa witnesses the daily drama of the robins' nest and learns how God cares for all creatures.

Besides watching the birds, there are Easter eggs to color. And there is a very special story to hear--a tale of long ago about one small bird with a very big heart. How did the robin get its red breast? Tressa is about to find out as Gran tells her the story of the Easter robin.

Brought to life with colorful, tender illustrations. The Legend of the Easter Robin will captivate and teach your child about compassion and faith.

My Thoughts
I love this time of year! Spring is in the air and new life is all around. One of the first signs in this area is the appearance of robins. It's fun to watch them begin to build their nests and prepare for their new little ones.
Dandi Daley Mackall captures that beautiful event in her book The Legend of the Easter Robin. The story revolves around a little girl, Tressa, and her grandmother. The grandmother shares with Tressa some very interesting traditions and a legend handed down from the Pennsylvania Dutch.
The two of them watch from the window as the momma bird builds her nest and eventually lays four eggs in the nest. Tressa is worried about how to protect them but grandma reminds her that the Creator will protect them.
Some of the interesting activities that the two do together are blowing and coloring eggs. They then turn them into birds by adding some paper decorations and then hang them from the tree out front. Cute ideas to incorporate into your Easter celebrations. The legend itself has no basis in Scripture but it is a lovely way to begin a conversation about the crucifixion of Christ. 
I plan on tucking this book into one of my grands Easter baskets. The story is well written with lots of great ideas and conversation starters. The illustrations are beautiful and make the story come alive. If you've got a little one that you will be celebrating Easter with this year you should add this book to their basket.

A Royal Easter Story (The Princess Parables) by Jeanna Young & Jacqueline Johnson {Children's Book Review}

A Royal Easter Story

The Princess Parables

Jeanna Young & Jacqueline Johnson

Illustrated by Omar Aranda

Juvenile Nonfiction (ages 4-8)

"This must be what Daddy meant when he said

to use use our lives to help and care for others."

It is the most spectacular spring in history. Princesses Joy, Grace, Faith, Charity, and Hope are busy preparing for the annual Easter celebration. The castle is alive with activity when a challenge is presented by five young knights who ride into the kingdom. Will a scary storm and stopping to rescue a new friend cause the princesses to lose the race against the boys and miss the annual Easter celebration?

My Thoughts

My grand girls have come to love The Princess Parables. It is a series of books for young girls (ages 4-8) that focuses on Biblical parables that involve the King and his five daughters Joy, Grace, Faith, Charity, and Hope.

A Royal Easter Story is based on Luke 11:7-13. It is almost Easter and the King and his daughters are preparing for the annual Easter Jubilee. It will be a large party for all the kingdom to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord. 

One day during this season of celebration one of the newly instated knights of the King's round table drops by for a visit. With him are his five sons, Timothy, Andrew, Jonathan, Christian, and Alexander. Is this perhaps a peek into some future stories featuring these new characters? One can hope! 

During the preparations Princess Grace ASKS a question about why they make the journey to celebrate the resurrection. Her father the King reminds her that it is for them to remember all that Jesus has done for them. 

The day arrives and all the royal palace prepares to leave for the celebration but before they can depart a calamity happens. The Princesses and the knight's sons stay behind to fix it before joining the rest of the group. After the crisis is averted the group decides to take two different routes to race to see who can arrive first.

The princesses then find themselves SEEKING for answers to a brand new dilemma. They have found a lost little girl and must find a way to return her to her family. The girls must battle the weather as they make their way to their father the King. Once they arrive there they KNOCK on the door and are let in. Eventually the little girl is reunited with her family and everyone can go on with the celebration.

This is another great installment in this parable series. The message of putting the needs of others first comes through loud and clear. We also learn that God sees and hears His children and is eager to reach out and help them, they only need to ask. 

If you are looking for a fun way to share some Biblical principles with your little girls then this is a great resource. The overall story is exciting and fun and the illustrations are quite engaging. But the best part is that you can use the story to strike up some very important conversations with your girls. 

Connect With The Authors

www.ThePrincessParables.com

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Books To Add To Your Easter Baskets!

I love to fill my kids Easter baskets with chocolate peanut butter eggs, jelly beans and chocolate bunnies with the hopes that they will feel generous and want to share their bounty with their momma. My husband and I also fill plastic eggs with little surprises and spend Saturday night dyeing real eggs with the kids. (Wouldn't want my kids to be the only ones to show up to Sunday School without stained fingers!) 

But I have to admit that while I love all of these silly traditions the obligation to share with my children the real reason for the celebration weighs heavy on my heart. All the chocolate in the world can't hold a candle to the power behind the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ and my kids need to know that. 

One of the easiest ways that I have found to keep our Easter celebration centered on Christ is to add some wonderful new Easter themed books to their Easter baskets. I thought I'd share with you some of the ones I came across for this year's baskets.

Little Chick's Bible  or Little Bunny's Bible is a soft, cuddly Bible that children can call their own. Throughout this plush-covered book, little ones learn about God's love and faithfulness in stories from the Old and New Testaments on the Bible. With sweet, rhyming text and colorful illustrations, this storybook Bible is sure to become a favorite with preschoolers.

The First Easter Ever by Dennis Jones is perfect for 6-12 year olds. Dennis' drawings are sure to bring a smile to your face.

The first Easter was a day of great rejoicing! Jesus had done exactly as his Father wanted on earth. He showed us just how much God loves everyone--including you and me! And now he has risen from the dead! Read all about Jesus and his work and rejoice! Alleluia! 

The Beginner's Bible Stories About Jesus follows the story of Jesus’ life from his humble birth to his life as an adult as he preaches and teaches the people. Using the classic iconic art and simple text from  The Beginner's Bible , this padded board book will appeal to the youngest reader with its message of God’s love and its stories of the miracles and words of Jesus.

What little kid doesn't like stickers? This would be perfect for all the little boys and girls in your family. It is a consumable that the kids are expected to write and color in. Perfect for a quiet pew activity. 

The Easter story comes to life through age-appropriate puzzles, activity pages, and stickers in this friendly and fun The Beginner’s Bible Easter Sticker and Activity Book featuring classic art and simply written content from The Beginner’s Bible.

From the time my kids were little they absolutely loved to carry their very own Bibles to church. It made them feel so big! One of these inexpensive Gift Bible for Kids would make the perfect addition to your Easter baskets. 

Gift Bibles have come a long way. These are absolutely beautiful. They have imitation leather covers with cute designs. If you buy them at your local book store you can probably get them imprinted with the child's name. 

The bonus content explores the teachings, ministry, miracles, and parables of Jesus, as well as life in New Testament times, helping the bible come alive for kids. 

Features include:

• Words of Christ in red
• Bible dictionary concordance
• Book introductions
• Presentation page for personalizing and gift giving

I hope this list gives you some ideas on bringing the good news of the death and resurrection to your Easter baskets. It's not too late to order online. If you have a local Christian book store consider stopping in and picking up some great books for your kids.

Even if you don't personally have children consider gifting children you know with an Easter book. The First Easter Ever retails at $1.99 so it would be an inexpensive way to share about the true meaning of Easter with your Sunday School class or even neighborhood children.

 

He Is Risen ~ He Is Risen Indeed!

After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move.

The angel spoke to the women: “There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.

“Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ That’s the message.”

~ Matthew 28:1-7 (The Message)

Up From The Grave He Arose

(Low in the Grave He Lay)

Robert Lowry 1826-1899

Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior,

Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose;

with a mighty triumph o'er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior,
Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose;

with a mighty triumph o'er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose;

with a mighty triumph o'er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!



From all of us at Rambles of a SAHM . . . we wish you the most blessed of Easter's this year. May God Himself reveal to you the power of trusting in His risen Son. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

*Happy Easter*

Happy Easter from all of us at Rambles of a SAHM!

He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. Matthew 28:6 NLT