Joanna the Donkey

In Joanna the Donkey, author Kenneth E. Metzger tells the story of Jesus’ ride to Nazareth on a donkey from the donkey’s point of view.

Joanna is a donkey with a hearing problem. She is chosen as the donkey Jesus rides into Nazareth. When the crowds line the streets and start shouting, “Hosanna! Hosanna!” she thinks they are saying “Joanna! Joanna!” After the procession is over and Joanna returns home, her mother explains to her what the people were really saying and what they really meant.

At the end of the book, the author includes a section called “Inter-actives for Parents To Do with Their Children.” This is a list of questions about the story that parents and children can discuss together.

The pencil illustrations, by Sydney Dziewa are colorful, but they are a bit cartoonish.

What I Like: I like the humor of having a donkey that is hard of hearing. I also like the list of questions at the end of the story.

What I Dislike: When Joanna’s friends her that a King is coming who will need a donkey to ride, each of them think they will be chosen. When Joanna says, “Maybe he’ll choose me,” her two friends roll with laughter at the thought of Joanna being the chosen one. Why would Jesus choose to ride on a lame donkey? But when Joanna is chosen, and she later tells her friends about her adventure, they don’t even seem surprised. I wonder why that is?

I also did not like the layout. Each two-page spread was exactly the same, with an illustration on the left and the text on the right. There was no variation at all.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 4-8.

Publisher Info: Xulon Press, 2014; ISBN: 9781498413923; paperback, $11.99.

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Ori's Amazing Story: Faith in God's Plan

In Ori’s Amazing Story: Faith in God’s Plan, by Mike and Carol Wyrick, Ori is a young donkey. He is sold to a merchant who uses him to pull his cart. Ori isn’t really happy to just pull a cart as he believes he has a higher purpose. One day, a couple of men borrow Ori for a special purpose. Ori becomes the donkey Jesus rides into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday.

There are small black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout the text, with full-size illustrations at the beginning of each chapter.

The authors include a detailed Discussion Guide at the end of the book, with questions relating to each chapter.

What I Like: I like reading Bible stories told from different perspectives other than the traditional one. This one is told by a donkey.

What I Dislike: Nothing, really.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 8-12.

Publisher Info: Trusted Books, 2014; ISBN: 9781632692498; Paperback, 80 pages, $11.99.

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The Little Pine Tree

The Little Pine Tree, written by Mark E. Labriola Sr., is a story about the life of a pinecone. It starts with the seed being nurtured by snow and rain and then growing from a sapling to a sturdy pine. The pine tree longs for a carpenter to carve him into something beautiful so that his life will have purpose. A carpenter’s son befriends the tree, but as the boy grows, he visits less often.

Then one day, soldiers chop the tree down. As the pine is cut apart, it rejoices, wondering what wondrous purpose it will be used for. It is disappointed to realize it is being made into a cross for a dreadful crucifixion. Even worse, the person being nailed to it is the very carpenter’s son who loved him as a child: Jesus.

At the end of the story, Jesus returns to the cross to show that He is alive and to explain that His death was the only way to pay for mankind’s sin.

The story ends with a Scripture passage found in Galatians 6:14

The layout of the book is a series of two-page spreads with an illustration on one side and a full page of text on the other. The pictures are best described as simple line drawings that are fairly realistic and appear to be colored with watercolor or some other type of paint.

What I Like: This book offers a free audio book download. What a treat! It’s always fun to get free things. It is also appears to be a retelling of the last part of a familiar tale about three trees (read below). It would work as a nice supplement to the Easter story.

What I Dislike: This is a note. This story is very similar to the third part of a book called The Tale of Three Trees. In that tale, three trees growing on a hilltop dream of grandeur, just like this little pine tree. Then Woodcutters chop them down, and craft them into common things: a manger, a fishing boat, and the final one is cut into stout timbers. Just like this tree, the three trees are very disappointed until they realize that their dreams actually do come true. The manger holds the baby Jesus, the humble fishing boat carries Jesus and his followers, and the third becomes the cross that bore Jesus… just like the little pine tree in this story. Personally, I think the Tale of Three Trees is a much better told version of this idea of the cross, especially when you compare the prices and artwork. However, this is a decent rendering, so it’s a matter of preference.

Overall Rating: Good

Age Appeal: None is given, but I think it would work Kindergarten through second grade.

Publisher Info: Tate Publishing, 2014; ISBN:978-1630632328; Paperback or Kindle, 28 pgs., $9.99

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Special Info: Other versions of this story include: The Tales of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt, The Three Trees by Elena Pasquali, The Legend Of The Three Trees - Picture Book by Catherine McCafferty, A Tale of Three Trees by Linda Nash, and The Legend of the Three Trees: The Classic Story of Following Your Dreams by Dahl Taylor.

My Very First Easter Story

The true story of Easter is one that every child should know - and while very young children may not completely understand it, it's never too early to begin introducing them to the story of Jesus' death and resurrection and what it means for us. That's the concept behind My Very First Easter Story by Lois Rock.

Rock begins the story on Passover, with crowds welcoming Jesus with palm branches. "This must be the beginning of Jesus making the whole world a better place," the author credits the crowd with thinking. Then we see Jesus at the temple, overturning the tables because "Jesus could see they were making people pay too much." Next, we see Jesus at the last supper, instructing his disciples. We learn about his prayer in the garden, which Rock simplifies as: "Father God...I don't want these hard times, but I will do what you want." Then soldiers take Jesus away and crucify him. His friends put him in a tomb.

Those same friends decide they need to hide, or the Romans might come after them, too. But when they go back to Jesus' tomb "to say goodbye," Jesus' body is missing. Shortly after, "a man" bumps into some of Jesus' friends, and they invite him to dinner. Suddenly, when he says a prayer, they see the man is Jesus. And then Jesus disappears.

But Jesus reappears to instruct his friends. "He helped them understand that God is a friend when people face hard times, and that God can make everything good and right again. He gave them a job to do - to tell this news to all the world." Then Jesus goes to Heaven.

"But God gave his friends the help they needed. They suddenly felt brave. They knew what to say. They began to speak to anyone who would listen...'Jesus came to us from God,' they explained. 'He came to tell us how much God loves us. People tried to stop him, but their plan hasn't worked. Jesus is alive, proving that his message is true: God wants everyone to give up bad ways and come home to a place of goodness. God welcomes us all as friends.' ...The news has been spreading ever since."

What I Like: Overall, I think Rock did a decent job of explaining the Easter story. In fact, she covers many aspects of it that other children's Easter books usually leave out - including an attempt at the true significance of Jesus' death and resurrection.

What I Dislike: However, I think this book misses the mark of being a "very first" Easter book. First of all, this book doesn't do a good job of keeping the attention of young children. Some of that is due to the illustrations by Alex Ayliffe, which are pretty lifeless, actionless, and bland. Very good illustrations would make this book far more enjoyable for young children.

But I also find that this book may include too much information for young children. The Easter story is one of drama, excitement, and emotion. But because this is a book for young children, it is highly condensed. That means there is little to hold kids' attention, and the storyline might be a little difficult to follow. Also, some parts are just confusing for little people. For example, when "a man" appears to Jesus' friends, they don't immediately know it is Jesus. Young kids are going to ask why, but the author doesn't attempt to answer this. (Of course, the Bible doesn't answer this question, either.) This whole section is really confusing for young ones.

More importantly, I question how the author sums up the significance of Jesus' resurrection. Why go on and on about giving up "bad ways" and being God's "friend" when you could tell children how Jesus paid the price for our sins so we can someday go to Heaven and be with God?

Overall Rating: Ho-hum.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 3 - 5 years.

Publishing Info: Lion, 2012; ISBN:  978-0745962160; hardback, 32 pgs., $6.99

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Also available is a sticker book version.

Special Info: Looking for a better choice of an Easter book for young children? Check out our reviews for the following books: The Very First Easter, The Story of Easter, What is Easter?, My Easter Basket, An Easter Gift for Me, and The Story of Easter.

Simon and the Easter Miracle

Remember the man who was forced to pick up Jesus' cross and carry it for him? Author Mary Joslin imagines him as the central character for her book Simon and the Easter Miracle, based on Polish folklore.


The book begins by introducing us to Simon, a farmer who just wants to sell his eggs and produce in the market. But when he reaches town, there's an angry crowd crying "Crucify him!" Before Simon knows it, a Roman soldier tells him to put aside his baskets of goods and carry the cross of a beaten prisoner. Having no choice but to do what the soldier tells him to do, Simon carefully sets down his precious goods and picks up the cross. The prisoner thanks him and Simon asks what he's done to deserve crucifixion.

"The man shrugged. 'Preaching a message of peace,' he said."

Simon hurries away as soon as the cross is delivered to its spot on the hill. He doesn't want to hear the shouting and weeping. "All I wished for today was a good market, with fair prices for my produce," he says.

When he reaches the spot where he set aside his baskets, he finds his eggs broken, the wine spilt, and not enough left to bother trying to set up a market stall. He goes home with a sigh, happy that tomorrow is Sabbath, the day of rest.

Early Sunday morning, Simon gets up and starts to work. He looks at some eggs. They are cracked - and empty. He works in his olive grove - and notices the sudden sound of wings, as 12 white doves circle his head.

"At once Simon knew a miracle had happened. 'Doves are the birds of peace,' he said. 'And God blesses all those who work for peace.'"

The doves fly off, and Simon returns to his work, noticing "how quickly spring had warmed the new season's crops.'"

What I Like: Anna Luraschi's illustrations are warm and colorful. I think they do a nice job of capturing the attention of children.

What I Dislike: I didn't care for this book. It really is only useful for children who are quite knowledgeable about the true story of Easter - and even then, I think it detracts from the story of Jesus' resurrection. My children even found the story confusing. Were the empty eggs the same eggs from the market? Or were they newly laid? And what, exactly, was the miracle? Was the author referring to Christ's resurrection (which isn't actually mentioned), or the doves? Additionally, I felt the story watered-down the importance of Christ. Somehow, I don't think Jesus would have said he was being crucified because he was preaching peace.

Overall Rating: Ho-hum.

Age Appeal: About 4 - 8.

Publishing Info: Lion Hudson, 2012; ISBN:  978-0745960586; paperback, 32 pgs., $14.99

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A Big Day for Jack

A Big Day for Jack, written by Marilyn Schuler, is the story of a donkey. But, Jack isn’t just any donkey; he’s a very special donkey. He’s the one chosen to carry Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

Like most donkeys, Jack is stubborn. But he is also disobedient and destructive. He doesn’t like to behave. He wants to play all day, go to bed whenever he feels like it, never obey, and never be gentle or helpful.

One day, a few minutes after Jack has once again rebelled, two men approach Jack and lead him away by his halter. Although he doesn’t really resist, he makes up his mind he won’t cooperate with whatever these two have planned.

The two men lead him to a place where a group of people are gathering. When they put a blanket on his back, he shies away. But, then Jesus approaches Jack and places his hand on Jack’s back. Jack can feel how gentle and loving Jesus is. Jesus tells Jack that Jack is needed to fulfill a prophecy about a king riding a donkey. Jack says he doesn’t want to help. Jesus tells Jack that he has seen Jack when he was misbehaving. Jesus goes on to tell Jack that he needs Jack to cooperate, because “I love you and have a special purpose for your life.”

Although Jack is still unsure what to do, he can tell that Jesus is sincere. Jesus has seen Jack misbehave and Jesus loves him anyway.

Jack calms down and Jesus climbs onto his back. As they walk through the gates of Jerusalem, the crowds grow bigger. People spread their coats on the road for Jack to walk over. Others wave palm branches and laid them on the road, too. Jack no longer felt like rebelling. He feels like he is part of something special, that he really was chosen for a special purpose. When Jesus eventually dismounts, he pats Jack on the back, thanks him for his cooperation, and tells him to be good.

Then the two men lead Jack back to his mother. She wants to know everything that happened. He tells her, “Oh, Mother. I met a king who knows everything about me and still chose me to ride on in the parade. He wants me to be good. I think I will, for Him.”

The watercolor illustrations by Samantha Kickingbird are expressive and work well with the text.

The author uses these verses as a reference for the story: “Matthew 21:1-11 and John 12:12-15.

What I Like: Everything.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4-8.

Publisher Info: Tate Publishing, 2011; ISBN: 9781617775956; Paperback, $8.99.

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Special Info: This book comes with a free audio download. Information on where and how to download can be found on the last page.

Candle Library: Easter

There is something about little books that appeals to little people - which is why Candle Books recently released a boxed series of 3.5 inch square books called Candle Library: Easter.

Each of the books, written by Karen Williamson, tells one part of the Easter story. Book 1 tells of Palm Sunday (although that term is never used); book 2 tells of the Last Supper (again, that actual term isn't used in the book); book 3 tells of Jesus' arrest; book 4, of his death on the cross; book 5, of his resurrection; and book 6, of his return to Heaven. Throughout, colorful, cartoonish illustrations by Marie Allen add great interest for little people.
 
What I Like: My 4 yr. old loves little books and couldn't wait to read this set. His attention span is still often short, so the fact that the story is broken down into different books is a real plus; it makes it easy to stop reading, then complete another part of the story at a later time. The illustrations appeal to my son, also, and I appreciate the delicate way the artist dealt with Jesus' death. She never shows bodies on the cross - just crosses in a dark atmosphere. It gets the point across without upsetting very young children. (Even so, my son was upset that Jesus died; I told him, "Don't worry; the story has a happy ending.")

What I Dislike: There are some relatively minor things that bother me. The word "plotting" is used twice times (as in "they were plotting to kill him"). It seems such a strange word choice in a set of books clearly geared toward toddlers and preschoolers. It also seems strange to mention the Last Supper without mentioning anything about taking communion today.When Jesus dies, the author doesn't make it clear it was daytime and that the darkness was unnatural - so my child didn't understand why a solider suddenly said "This really was God's son!" Finally, like so many picture books about Easter, the series never explains why Jesus' death and resurrection happened, or what it means for us today.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: toddler to preschool

Publishing Info: Candle Books; 2013; ISBN: 978-1859859421; board books, 48 pgs. total, $7.99

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The First Easter Day

Little kids love touch-and-feel books, so it was with delight that my 4 year old and I read The First Easter Day by Jill Roman Lord. This is a very simple book that begins with a picture of a little boy and his family walking to a white steeple church:

"We celebrate at Eastertime
when Jesus rose again.
I wonder what I would have done
if I had lived back then."

The following pages have the child imagining that if he'd been a bee, he would have buzzed to spread the news "that Jesus is alive;" if he'd been a frog, he would have bellowed hallelujahs; if he'd  been a bunny, he would have hopped to rejoice over the "risen Lord;" if he'd been a butterfly, he would have flitted his wings to "see the living King of kings;" if he'd been the sun, he would have pointed his raise to Jesus; if he'd been a kitten, he would have snuggled in his lap and "savored being with Him." On each page, there is a touch-and-feel element.

The last page goes back to the boy in church, admitting he's none of those things.

"I'm part of God's Creation who
can jump and shout with glee
and celebrate that Christ arose
to give new life to me!
Thank you, Jesus!"

What I Like: My child enjoyed the touch-and-feel elements, to be sure. So much, we had to read the book repeatedly before he really listened to the story. Then, he enjoyed the idea of imagining what it would be like to be all those different animals (or the sun) and see Jesus rise.

What I Dislike: If your child is unfamiliar with the Easter story, don't expect this book to clue him or her in. The author assumes your child knows that Jesus died and rose again - and why.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: toddler to preschool

Publishing Info: Candy Cane Press; 2013; ISBN: 978-0824918927; board book, 16 pgs., $8.99

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My Little Easter Story

Retelling the Easter story in a kid-friendly way, Christina Goodings' My Little Easter Story is a pint-sized book, just 6 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches. Goodings begins where few children's books about Easter bother to roam: By introducing Jesus. She explains that "he told people how to live as friends of God." He tells the Golden Rule, to forgive others as God forgives us, and to love even those who are unkind to us.

Jesus goes to Jerusalem for Passover and crowds cheer for him. He goes to the temple and tips over the stalls because "the Temple is a place to say prayers. It's not meant for all this cheating." Jesus' enemies begin talking about getting rid of him because he's "a troublemaker."

Next we see Jesus at the last supper - and Judas slipping away to betray him. When Jesus goes into a garden to pray, Judas bring soldiers to arrest Jesus. The priests say, "You teach all kinds of nonsense. Worse, you let people believe you are God's chosen king." "That's what you say," Jesus replies. Soon they take him to Pilate, who has him crucified. Before Jesus dies, he prays, "Father God, forgive them."

Jesus' friends bury him. The following Sunday, some of his friends go to his tomb and find it empty. Angels tell them Jesus is alive. Jesus appears and says

"Soon I must go to my Father, God in heaven...Tell everyone the news I told you: love one another; forgive one another. Then you will be God's friends for ever, in God's everlasting kingdom."

What I Like: I appreciate that this book covers more of the Easter story than most children's books do; we get an introduction to Jesus, for example. The illustrations by Claudine Gevry are colorful and interesting enough to keep my 3 yr. old son, who normally doesn't like to sit through Bible stories, engaged.

What I Dislike: The book never mentions Jesus is God's son; although he calls God his "Father," humans often do this, too. Worse, the book misstates how to receive salvation. It says nothing about believing in Jesus as God, nor anything giving our lives to him. Instead, it says if we want to go to Heaven, we just have to love and forgive each other. And there is no explanation of Jesus' resurrection meant.

Overall Rating: Unfortunately, because of the inaccurate view of what it means to be a Christian, I must give this book a "Poor" rating. If this were corrected, I'd give it at least a "Good" rating.

Age Appeal: 3 - 8

Publishing Info: Lion; 2012; ISBN: 978-0745969275; hardback, 32 pgs., $6.99.

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books by Christina Goodings; read our reviews of books with Claudine Gevry's illustrations, too.

The Story of the Easter Robin

Combining traditional Pennsylvania Dutch folklore with a modern story of a worried little girl, Dandi Daley Mackall's The Story of the Easter Robin makes an interesting addition to any family's collection of Easter books.

Tressa is worried the robin living in her grandmother's tree is laying her eggs too early. Gran reminds her that God will take care of the robin and her eggs. "See that bare spot on her red breast?" Gran says. "God made her so she could warm her babies through that brood patch." Still, Tressa is unsure, especially when a cold snap hits the day before Easter.

Gran tries to distract Tressa by blowing out some eggs, dying them robin's egg blue, and adding paper wings to them - a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition. As Tressa and Gran work on these Easter birds, Gran tells the legend behind the robin's red breast.

Years ago, a robin flying over Jerusalem recognized Jesus on the cross. (Gran says, "All earth's creatures, except humans, recognized Jesus - the Creator-God come to earth.") In despair, the robin sees an especially long thorn stabbing Jesus' head; using all its strength, it pulls the thorn away from Christ.

"And as it came out, a drop of Jesus' blood fell onto the robin's breast, staining it red from that day to this. 'Ever since,' Gran said, 'the robin's red breast reminds us of Christ's sacrifice and how much he cares. The robin's song is the first sign of spring, helping us remember that after Christ died, he rose again on that first Easter.''"

On Easter morning, when Tressa goes outside to hang the egg-birds on Gran's tree, she finds bits of real blue robin's eggs on the ground. Looking into the robin's nest, she sees with relief that the robin's babies are alive and well. "'God takes care of his creatures,' Gran whispered." And Tressa says a prayer, thanking God for the robins - and for Jesus.

What I Like: The illustrations by Anna Vojtech are both beautiful and detail oriented, adding a great deal to the story. I also appreciate the combination of nature studies (learning a wee bit about robins) and the Easter story woven into a book that makes it easy for those of us who have robins in the neighborhood to remind our kids about the true meaning of Easter.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 4 - 8
Publishing Info: Zonderkidz; 2010; ISBN: 978-0310713319; hardback, 32 pgs., $15.99.Buy Now at Amazon for $10.87
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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books by Dandi Daley Mackal.

The Legend of the Sand Dollar

When young Kerry and older sister Margaret are sent to their Aunt Jane's house just before Easter, Kerry is unhappy since her parents aren't with her. Her cousin Jack, however, has a special surprise for her when he takes her out on his boat: He shares The Legend of the Sand Dollar with her.

Using a coin-like sand dollar found on the beach, Jack tells Kerry the Easter story. An Easter lily is on one side of the sand dollar, and there are four nail holes, plus a fifth made by the spear, reminding everyone Jesus died for us. Jack breaks open the sand dollar and white "doves" flutter down: a promise of new life.

With this new hope, Kerry isn't as lost without her parents, and is more than eager to share the good news with sister Margaret.

The Legend of the Sand Dollar is written by Chris Auer with illustrations by Rick Johnson.

What I Like: This story is simple reminder of Christ and I think most kids can grasp it with ease. Plus, if you live near the ocean, it's possible you could collect a tangible reminder your kids could have with them at all times and remind them of the story (and the poem it's based on, which is shared on the last page).

I also love the illustrations by Mr. Johnson. Several are worthy as works of art themselves!

What I Dislike: This is fairly minor, but the reason why Kerry's parents aren't with her and her sister is never explained. I wish it was.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: 4 - 8

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz; 2005; ISBN: 978-0-310-70780-3; Hardback, 32 PGS., $16.99

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Jesus, God's Only Son

Jesus, God's Only Son is a Level 2 (Reading with help) book in Zonderkidz "I Can Read!" series. It begins with Jesus praying in the garden then re-tells -- with age-appropriate details --the accounts of His arrest, crucifixion, resurrection and accession.
The tone of the book focuses much on Jesus' friends: how they wanted to help Him when He carried the cross, how they cared for His body at the tomb and how happy they were to discover He was alive. The last page includes readers in this friendship by telling them that Jesus is always watching over them and that they will one day meet Him in Heaven. The illustrations by Dennis G. Jones feature a comic-like style that instantly attracts young readers. Bold lines and bright colors typify the expressive characters.
What I Like: This book is very attractive. My kids were instantly drawn to it. As with every book in the "I Can Read!" series, this one features the perfect spacing and font size for beginning and emerging readers. The sentences are short. The text includes a combination of familiar words to build confidence and new words to expand vocabulary and reading skills.
What I Dislike: This book leaves a lot of questions unanswered. It says "God's son Jesus was working hard" but never says what He was doing or what kind of work engaged Him. It explains that Jesus died and rose from the dead, but never explains why. It tells readers they will someday meet Jesus in Heaven, but doesn't say how or when. I wish the book offered more answers.
The illustrations clearly exhibit great skill, but the style detracts from the text. They inspire more humor than reverence. My kids were far more interested in Jesus' disproportionately huge hands and feet than in the message behind the story. The drawing of a muscle-bound, beefcake-like angel with flowing blonde curls cracked up my kids. They thought it was hysterical! That's not exactly the desired reaction when reading about the resurrection.
Overall Rating: Good.
Age Appeal: 4-7
Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2010; ISBN: ; Paperback; 32 pages; $3.99
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Special Info: Jesus is pictured throughout this book in the illustrations. See our reviews of other books in the "I Can Read!" series.

The Flowering Cross

The Flowering Cross is a precious story about the love of Christ. Written by Beth Ryan and illustrated by Renee Graef, this book shows how a little girl's love for a seemingly grouchy man allowed him to see the love that was shown to him on the cross.

We meet Katie on Easter morning as she jumps out of bed excited about the flowering of the cross that was going to take place at their church that day. She and her family had befriended their neighbor, a man that all the other children were afraid of because he was so grumpy. Katie and her brother Nolan endeared themselves to this man, and became so close to him that they began to call him Papa Jack. Papa Jack grew the most beautiful flowers in town, and he allowed Katie and Nolan to pick them.

Up until today, when Katie's family had invited Papa Jack to go to church with her, he had refused. But when she arrived at his door all ready to pick flowers for her church service, Papa Jack was all dressed and ready to go with her!

On the way to church, Katie shared the love of Christ with Papa Jack and how He died on the cross so that we can have eternal life. She told Papa Jack that the children in their church would put flowers on a wooden cross at church to show their thanks to Jesus for what He had done for them. Papa Jack was so touched as he thought of Christ's love, and the love that his neighbors had shown him.

Papa Jack came to Christ that day, went home, and made his own flowering cross. It became the centerpiece at Katie's house for Easter dinner that day. He started to show kindness to the neighborhood children, and picking flowers in his garden became a Easter tradition for the entire neighborhood.

What I Like: The gospel message is so simple that indeed a child can understand it. I love the simplicity of this book, but the message of salvation is very clear. One of the things that I like best about the format of this book is that on almost every page, there is a Faith Imprint and a verse. For example, on the page where Katie's mother tells her to get up and take a bath on Easter morning, the Faith Imprint says: "Share how Katie did what her mother told her to do." The accompanying verse is Ephesians 6:1 "Children, obey your parents the way the Lord wants. This is the right thing to do." (International Children's Bible) The illustrations are soft and as touching as the story is. Another thing I like is that although the cross is used as a symbol in this book, the emphasis is put on what Christ did for His people.

What I Dislike: I don't dislike anything about this book.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 4-8

Publisher Info: Thomas Nelson, 2010; ISBN:1400315379 ; Hardcover,32 PGS., $12.99

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Special Info: Find more Easter books we've reviewed here.