Easter Books

This is a very cute little book. THe drawings are wonderful. We have some chickens in our backyard, so it will be fun to read about them with baby and then see them in the yard, too!

This is a great book for little ones! The children love the sounds that the duck makes while visiting his certain friend animals. We read this all of the time!

This book is wonderful! It has a rhyming, repitive text that small children love. It is a lovely book to read aloud with one child or a group of children. Children quickly learn the rhyme and love to make the sounds of each of the animals. A must have for every preschool class and library story time!

What little one doesn't like to imitate barnyard animal sounds? Great little book for children as they interact with the illustrations and a narrative style that holds their attention. It is also a good book for beginning readers as well.
Evelyn Horan - teacher/counselor/author
Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Books One - Three

This has to be the perfect book for a year-old baby. I say this from tired experience after reading, re-reading, re-reading...the pictures are bright and definite and exactly right for babies, the rhythm is fun, the animal noises inspired even our year-old to say "baa" in response. Baby is now 14 months old and this is one of her three favourite books (the others are In the Tall Tall Grass and Night Cars).

I was looking for a "real" Easter book for the kids. Found The Very First Easter by Paul L. Maier. I can't tell you how much my girls LOVE this book. The format is a Mom and Dad telling their son about Easter based on scripture. Both the writing and the illustrations are just excellent!!!

This book follows the same format as Paul Maier's companion book, The Very First Christmas. Maier embeds the story of the first Easter inside the story of a 10-year-old boy named Christopher, who lives with his mother and father, a forest ranger, in a remote area of America's western mountains. As Christopher and his parents are sitting around the table dying Easter eggs, Christopher wonders aloud what the true story of Easter is. His Dad picks up the Bible and the two of them begin to read aloud from the book of Luke.

The narrative follows their discussion as they read, with Christopher asking questions that any child might typically ask -- "How do we know Jesus was really God?" "Why did they hang people on crosses, Dad?" "But if Jesus had a solid body and wasn't a ghost, how did he get through the walls?" Maier's format works well in this setting. Quotations from Luke tell the story, but the discussion between Christopher and his Dad explain the Easter story in a way that seems natural and easy to understand.

While the text of this book is quite good, what makes this book a excellent addition to the Easter collection is the outstanding artwork of Francisco Ordaz. Beautiful, full page pictures take up the right hand side of each spread. These realistic and detailed illustrations do a superb job of furthering the viewer's understanding of the Easter story. Especially well done is a portrayal of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane and an illustration showing the women standing in amazement before the empty tomb. The Very First Easter is an wonderful book to share with a child, or anyone, who wonders what more there is to Easter than bunnies and painted eggs.

I got this book to better explain to the kids the true meaning of Easter, something desparately needed in our culture of giant, chocolate-bearing bunnies. This book was an excellent idea in theory, but (unpopular opinion as I know it will be) the writing was just plain lame. Why does everything have to be "cool" when it's written for children. Ok, Christopher may have had a few good questions, but he also says, "ewwww," when Judas kissed Jesus. For this point alone I would have chosen not to read it to my boys - I don't want them thinking that there's anything wrong with 2 people kissing out of love and friendship, 2 men or otherwise and yes, even today (ok, I realize that's not why Judas did it, but that's beside the point).

But there's more: The story starts out that little Chrissy doesn't want anything but "true" stories anymore. No more fairy tales for him. Again, why would I want to even introduce an idea as ridiculous as this - I want my boys reading and enjoying fiction for the rest of their lives and refuse to plant a dangerous idea like this into their heads.

Overall, I found the text patronizing to children and chose not to read it at all to them. Granted the artwork was beautiful, but not worth the risk of putting drivel in front of my boys. (The artwork and the idea are what got the 3 stars.) We just went right to the bible and told the story and answered questions from there.

I believe that this is a good book to introduce children to the Christian faith. It is definately not a fiction. It lets us know and apreciate the passion, the sacrifice and love that our dear Lord suffered for salvation of the world. We celebrate Good Friday because on that Holy day, the Lord opened the gates of Heaven to all His people and reminds us how a wonderful God humbled Himself on the cross for the love of us to save us from eternal damnation. Any person who claims to read and know the Bible should agree with simple truths like this one. By the way If any Christian believes that the Bible is the inspired word of God, It was the Catholic Church aproximately in the year 400 A.D who came with the decision that the gospels we read today are worthy for the faithful to believe. The Catholic Church never deceived any one when it comes to faith and morals, but rather lead them to holyness and sanctity and prepare the faithful to eternity which all of us Christians know is the destiny of mankind.

Impressively enhanced with museum quality artwork by Francisco Ordaz, The Very First Easter by Paul L. Maier has as its principle focus the story of Easter and the trial, death, and resurrection of Jesus. God's plan for the salvation of mankind through Jesus Christ is showcased in a perfect picture book format for young readers. Winner of The Gold Medallion Book Award, The Very First Easter is ideal as a memorable parent-child bonding experience within the framework of an Easter celebration in Christian homes and communities.

One of the best guides we have used. Lots and lots of helpful information. Accurate. Good history. Made our week in Easter Island with a car and no guide a very rewarding experience.

I traveled to Easter Island in November, 2005 and this book was essential for planning the trip. None of the major guidebooks such as Lonely Planet or Rough Guides devote more than a few pages to Easter Island, but The Complete Guide to Easter Island is as good as its name implies. The book has a section titled Practical Matters that lists hotels and guesthouses on the island. The guesthouses are not reviewed, but the addresses, websites and email addresses are listed which is helpful. Restaurants are listed as well, but the most helpful part of this section is the discussion of prices so that you know what to expect.

Buy this book for the section about the history of the island. The author is passionate about Easter Island and it shows in his writings about the history of the people and the Moai. If I had not read the history, I would have missed out on a lot while I was touring the island. The author goes as far as including appendices about the Rapanui language.

However, the most important section of the book is the description of the sites on the island. The descriptions are short, but are hugely beneficial if you are touring on your own. (I don't like tour groups and so I rented a jeep). Plus the book includes a map of the island and sites which proved to be more useful than the map we got on the island. The author even includes a suggestion for five days of touring on your own. Really good stuff.

Easter Island is an amazing place. Give it time so you can explore. We rented a car and had a tremendous experience during the seven days were on the island. But, I really believe that my experience on Easter Island would have been lessened if I had not had this book to help with the history and to understand what it was I was seeing.

If you are planning a trip to Easter Island, this book will be a very small part of the cost. It is an investment you wont regret.

I can not understand why anyone could be helped by this book. Most of the texts are an expression about how the author have problems with the results of the Heyerdahl expedition and researches . While not being an archaeologist himself Laughlin make statements what is the right thing of history and about all archaeological remains - absolutely questionable why anyone should read this. The counting of archaeological sites is without concern to the areas of the island - one have to investigate these on a map with tremendous work.
One big part of the book is due to the Island's language. What kind of traveller is learning Rapa nui? That is my question to the author.
Forget this book.

Together with Lonely Planets(LP) guide on Chile/Easter Island, this guide basically tells what you need to know about the island. (Reading Thor Heyerdahl books will of course be usefull supplements to these 2 books).

Very good description on the historical facts (not very up-dated on Thor Heyerdahls writings: the birdman and the DNA issue) and an extensive guide to the different sites on the island.

The coverage (about 20 pages) of the different hotels, car rentals etc. under "practical matters" is a bit useless. The book does not tell anything about how good/bad the different hotels, car rentals are. The LP guide is much better on this.
Have a very enjoyable reading.

This guide book has it all. It is up to date, complete, comprehensive. There is a dictionary of the Rapanui language and fold out maps in color.
If you are planning a trip, it is indispensible.

My son absolutely loves this Dora book, along with the Dora Halloween book. He knows all of his colors in Spanish now and he wants to read it all the time. My husband despises this book now though because he has read it so much. I highly recommend this book and my 2 yr old son would as well.

This book is great. On each page Dora is looking for a different color easter egg and you have to help her find it. Lots of flaps.

My 20-month-old son loves Dora, and this book is great. It goes through all the colors of the rainbow and has tons of flaps for him to open. We're still working on the colors in English, so we haven't really read the Spanish words yet, but we will.

It is true that this book doesn't mention Easter, but I think it makes it a book you can read year-round, not a reason not to buy it. If you talk to your children about the true meaning of Easter, then why is it necessary to put it in a Dora book?

I bought this book on a whim since my 2.5 year old recently discovered Dora. Anyway, she LOVES this book like no other she's ever read. I sometimes have to read it to her 3 to 6 times a day. Sometimes twice before bedtime (my daughter has never been the type to ask me to read the same book twice in a row). She's even caught me in the middle of the night, if she wakes up, she actually asks me to read it to her again, even though it may be 3am. Frtunately, by this point, I've memorized it and all the flaps.

The best thing about it is it really helps a child to learn their colors in English if they don't already know them, and definately in Spanish. We aren't a bilingual household, but my daughter has started picking up counting in Spanish from Dora. With this book, she's now easily learning her colors. The pictures are bright and colorful and the story is cute and typical Dora. Even Swiper makes an appearance. The story itself seems a little shorter then the typical Dora books, so it's easier for younger kids to sit through. I highly recomend this book and I know my daughter does to.

Our 20 month old daughter loves this book! We have had it for several months and she still picks it first over all her other Dora books. True it does not educate the child on the meaning of Easter, but that can be done by us at an appropriate time. The book is very well designed and has multiple flaps to open. It has held up very nicely through every day use. She is learning her colors with this book. It is also a wonderful tool for her memory as she goes for the flaps with eggs. We love this book!

I would give this two and a half stars. I don't have my copy to hand now, but it appeared to be largely the recollections of the subject nearly fifty years after the war: large parts of it read like dictation.

There is a lot of recounting his experiences on the ground, but the actual descriptions of the patrols are short and thin (there is also a fair amount of extracts from official squadron records). Some of the (brief) combat detail of the patrols is hard to credit, although the accuracy could reflect the span of time and reliability of memory I guess .

A couple of examples; on one patrol the sole Ju 88 encountered seven Mosquitoes and fought them off, using the hand-held rear guns and on another occasion the same thing happened when they were attacked by three Beaufighters! Well maybe the pilot was exceptional and the observer was an excellent shot, but mossies and beaufighters could usually fly rings around a junkers.

Well written and a slightly different view point from the normal fighter pilot hero. A survivor of a long war gives a good feeling of what it was like. Some pictures could have used more explanation of the authors feeling, like the one about execution for cowardice.

the three previous reveiws sum this book up very well.worth every penny do not hesitate to purchase as it will be very hard to find shortly.good book for those with an intrest in aviation in general to those who specialize in very detailed luftwaffe accounts,well written,very hard to put down....enjoy

While there are many books on the Luftwaffe, especially fighter operations, this is one of the few on Luftwaffe long-range reconnaissance and the only one I've read by a surviving crew member. The author tells the story of his squadron, the squadron assigned long-range reconnaissance in the west and a unit that was destined to suffer heavy casualties as a result. The book has many modest quality photos and gives the flavor of flying in this unit. A personal reminiscence, it lacks technical and operational details that would have been interesting; neither are there any color profiles for modelers. Readers may also be interested in: Aufklarer Volume One: Luftwaffe Reconnaissance Aircraft and Units 1935-1941 (Luftwaffe Colours)

Every so often you read a short reference to air recon by the Germans. The whole operation of the First United States Army Group (FUSAG) headed by Gen. Patton was based on German air recon being able to detect the ficticious armies. This is the first book I've seen that discusses the actual operation of a German reconnaissance unit.

The name comes from a group of men who joined the unit in March 1940. Roman Gastager, whose memories make up the majority of this book was the only survivor of the 'Easter Bunnies.' He was in the German Army throughout World War II. He was call up just before the invasion of Poland and was still in the service when the war ended in 1945.

In between were recon flights over England and long, long patrols out over the Atlantic. Here they were operating at the extreme limits of the machines. Overloaded with fuel, a long way from home, contact with an enemy fighter or just a problem with an engine and the flight was in serious trouble. It was dangerous enough for both sides that when they met out over the water, often they just wagged their wings at each other and went home.

This is a story that waited a long time to be told, and it is quite educational as well as interesting reading.

Helped me understand the wider implications of the civilisation's actions in their little microcosm.

Demystifies and explains the rise and fall of the once great (albeit small) Rapa Nui community that once inhabited Easter Island by explaining, through forensic and historical research, the destruction they reaped on themselves.

You would think from the title that this is book is actually a flaming, guilt-ridden treatise on environmentalism. But such is not the case. It is in reality a well balanced handling of all aspects of Easter Island. Yes, Thor Heyerdahl and his theories are covered but so is going on vacation there and where to stay. If there is something you would like to know about Easter Island, this book probably covers it in a most readable fashion.

Reviewer: A reader
I have to disagree with the previous reviewer about the debunking of Heyerdahl being "excessive". The debunking is limited to only one or two chapters. For readers like me who have read Heyerdahl, this debunking was important because of the attractive neatness of Heyerdahl's theories as he had presented them.

The book is very well organized, with a good selection of photographs and diagrams.

The book's title and the previous review may give the impression that the book is primarily about environmental lessons we can learn from what happened to Easter Island, but in fact it is the best introduction to Easter Island studies that I have seen.

Only the final chapter is about lessons for humanity. The authors' arguments here are elevated by their citing of the well-known Club of Rome study on the Limits to Growth. All of its predictions for the 1990s did actually come true. A fact that is very clear to anyone who has read the actual report. The people of Easter Island flourished and lived well up to the very end when the crash finally hit from their overusing the island's resources. A sad tale, and now a sad history for an interesting vacation spot.

This fine book is the most complete treatise on Easter Island available. It covers all the island's most fascinating aspects, including its geological history, the question of the origin of the Rapa Nui people, flora and fauna, and of course, most importantly, the archeological remains. The writers illustrate how a complex interplay between the natural environment and human behaviour created the island's unusual prehistory, including the demise of the statue cult. Although there are still many unanswered questions about the moai (giant statues) this book gives the qualified answers or at least suggestions as to how these things came to be. It wisely leaves behind all sorts of pseudo-scientific theories and bases its discussion on real archeological evidence, of which there today exists a substantial amount. The only unfortunate thing about the book is the slightly misleading title.

I have to disagree with the previous reviewer about the debunking of Heyerdahl being "excessive". The debunking is limited to only one or two chapters. For readers like me who have read Heyerdahl, this debunking was important because of the attractive neatness of Heyerdahl's theories as he had presented them.

The book is very well organized, with a good selection of photographs and diagrams.

The book's title and the previous review may give the impression that the book is primarily about environmental lessons we can learn from what happened to Easter Island, but in fact it is the best introduction to Easter Island studies that I have seen.

Only the final chapter is about lessons for humanity. The authors' arguments here are diminished by their citing of the well-known Club of Rome study on the Limits to Growth. None of its predictions for the 1990s came true, and this should have been clear by 1992, the year of this book's publication. The authors make no mention of that inconvenient fact.

Cathy, I'm sorry if this hurts your feelings, but this is absolute dross. This history part gives the key events leading up to the creation of "The Free State" of Eire, but the romance is clichee city!
So to potential readers - better get yourselves a proper history book and a decent romance - this combination doesn't work! Life is way too short to plough through this one.

I read this book just after I had finished an Irish Studies course at my local college. I was surprised and delighted at the imaginative and accurate way that Cathy C S had managed to intertwine historical fact with romantic fiction. I could not put this book down and it is my favourite of hers. I think it is an excellent book to read if you have an interest in Irish history particularly regarding the build-up to the 1916 Uprising which was a catalyst for modern Ireland. Given the beautiful romantic circumstances surrounding the story, including tremendous similarities between the authors romantic characters and the various authors, revolutionaries, artists and poets of that time; including W.B./ Yeats and what happened to them and the significance of that time,I think this is one of the best books I have ever read.

From the very first line, this book grabs you and it does not let go until the last page! It is a well written, historically accurate account of the events leading up to the Easter rising of 1916. In it the reader encounters actual prominent historical figures such as Michael Collins. The story involves two sisters, their love for one another, their love for their nation, and their love for the men in their lives. It is romantic, sad, funny,tragic...in a nut shell, all the things that make for great reading. I highly recommend it.

From the very first line, this book grabs you and it does not let go until the last page! It is a well written, historically accurate account of the events leading up to the Easter rising of 1916. In it the reader encounters actual prominent historical figures such as Michael Collins. The story involves two sisters, their love for one another, their love for their nation, and their love for the men in their lives. It is romantic, sad, funny,tragic...in a nut shell, all the things that make for great reading. I highly recommend it.

This book grabs the reader with its very first line. It is in my opinion, Spellman's best book. It is a historical drama (very accurate on the historical facts) about Ireland and it's long struggle for freedom and independance. It vividly details many of the uprisings, leading up to the Easter Rising of 1916. The reader is introduced to some of the real revolutionaries who were a part the uprising and eventual liberation of Southern Ireland. In addition, the two main characters are sisters who are very different (one is a rebel, the other a conformist) but who share a strong love for each other and their country. This book is about so many complicated issues, and yet it is entertaining and educational. I guess one could say its about the love shared between siblings and family, passionate, romantic love between men and women, and a peoples deep love for their country and hope for independence and freedom. It is one of my favorite books. I made the unfortunate mistake of lending it to a friend who lives in another state. I have not seen it since. I am currently trying my best to get it from Amazon, and I hope they come through for me.

Yikes, what else do I need to say...except that the author needs to improve on grammar. Also some of the rhymes don't make sense. My kid is not a flower, a kitten or a gracious smile. Please give up all efforts to write or publish. END IT!

Very Uplifting and Inspiring while offering Insightful Life Lessons to us all. Thanks for such a wonderful gift to Humankind. I'm sure that it will be read and enjoyed by countless people who will indeed grow from these profound and honest works.

Heartbeats is lovely, highly thought-provoking, and inspirational. The eloquence and beauty of your words offer a profound message of Hope and Joy to readers of all nations... As Robert Frost knowingly said: "Poetry begins in Delight and ends with Wisdom." I certainly felt this while reading your enriching and controversial works. It's good to know that there are still real poets in this oft crazy, mixed-up world of human drama, dharma, and heartache. -Graci

This wonderful book touched my heart and soul... It is a Joy to read and no doubt I will continue to do so whenever I need a Lift or Inspirational Insight. Heartbeats offers Golden nuggets of Wisdom that help Illuminate our daily lives on planet Earth while providing Heavenly reflections of mankind's divinely human e-motions. Thanks!

All great writings speak from their heart, this one is an ultimate embodiment of that. Linking all children of the earth, throughout all periods of time, by the experiences that capture all human feelings, emotions and goodness. To feel such a connection through reading anothers words is a wonderful thing...

There was a Rabbi who wrote a book similar to this mocking Christ. Nice to see for Him.

What a simple fun easy way to state the obvious!
3 thumbs up!! hehe

When I first ordered this I was thinking one thing.. which I will not share at this point. After reading it,I just sat there for about, I don't even know how long, just thinking. If Jesus really did all that stuff , I am going to have to do some more thinking I guess. Thanks, I did enjoy it.

True or false:

1. Santa really lives at the North pole and drives a sled pulled by nine reindeer.
2. The Easter bunny hides all the eggs and has a basket factory.
3. The Tooth Fairy sells children's teeth on the black market.
4. Jesus really raised from the dead.

In SANTA CLAUS, THE EASTER BUNNY, THE TOOTH FAIRY AND JESUS, Mr. Parry takes a look at each individual legend, telling the basic, simple version of their stories, and then taking a look at each of them logically.

This short book is very easy to read in one setting. There is a sarcastic edge in the taking a look at them logically section, which is kind of cute. The author maintains that SANTA CLAUS, THE EASTER BUNNY, THE TOOTH FAIRY AND JESUS is written for those who want to put the four in the same box--a mythical creatures that really don't exist, to prove that out of the four, Jesus is real. I'm not really sure how it would work to convince someone who doesn't believe, but to me it seems quite logically thought out and well-written. If you know someone who believes Jesus is a myth and is waiting for you to wake up and smell the coffee, maybe this would be a good book to slip in their to-be-read pile. It's cover is cute and attention grabbing, there are several humorous cartoons included, and it's gripping. 58 pages.

This book is very interestingly funny!
Anybody can understand it due to its simplicity.
Whether you are a know-it-all teenager or road scholar to a stubborn old man or crabby old maid or anyone "in-between" you will be able to relate.
This is NOT a "ram it down your throat and like it" kinda read.
It really does make you think...alot depending on where you are in life.
The author seems to be on a spreading seed mission as you will notice on the last page, NOT a "do it or else" type of message. VERY REFRESHING!
I have bought a few and have given to family and friends in need of this... after of course tearing out the last page...you'll see!!

My daughter loves the Corduroy books and we have to read them over and over again. Her favorite, however, is the Halloween story.

Emma's (18 mos)grandma bought this for her this past Easter, and she still wants to read it every day. She loves to look for the bird that appears on every page. Very colorful and great illustrations. I don't remember Corduroy from my childhood (1960's) but I'm going to get all the compantion books for Emma.

We gave this to my daughter for Easter when she was almost two, and she LOVES it. We read it at least three times a day. The story is really cute with great phrasing, and my daughter loves finding the Easter Bunny and the robin on each page. The illustrations spark conversations about other things (she sees the lilacs on the page and then we talk about when we smelled the lilacs on our walk, etc.). She especially loves lifting the flaps. They're not the most durable--we have taped many of them back on--but we still love the book. It's really helped her vocabulary, too. She loves to talk about the baby animals and what sounds they make, etc. I will admit--this is not the Corduroy I grew up with. The story has nothing to do with the original Corduroy, so don't buy this book if you think you'll be sharing the Corduroy of your childhood with your kids. However, if you buy it knowing it has nothing to do with the original Corduroy, I think you'll be very pleased. MY DAUGHTER LOVES IT! I also recommend the Christmas and Halloween Corduroy books, too. They're all huge hits at our house!

The book is based on the Corduroy character created by Don Freeman. The "bear's share" of the royalties go to the Don and Lydia Freeman Research Fund to support psychological research concerning children affected by cancer.

Somewhere between 9 and 24 months, most children become fascinated with playing peek-a-boo. Books with flaps fit in with that favorite game. They provide the "magic" of making something appear for your child, and as such are wonderful ways to create indelible learning experiences. This book has dozens of flaps for your child to peer behind. Usually, an animal is revealed. Some of the camouflage devices include plants, flowers, rocks, toys, doors, a hay stack, and food.

The story has two themes. The first revolves around playing outdoors with friends during the spring as the weather improves.

"Spring has sprung, Corduroy!"

The second theme concerns preparing for and participating in an Easter egg hunt. This book is a good background for preparing your child for her or his first hunt!

At this age, children are usually not especially interested in other children so I liked the feature of the book emphasizing the fun of doing things with friends. This includes going to get the supplies, dying the eggs, and hunting for them. The eggs are left to be hidden by the Easter Bunny.

The sentences are short and simple. This makes it easier for your child to memorize the story. As that process occurs, you can point to a word and ask your child to say the word. After a few misses, your child will begin to recognize one word from another. You can point to the words as you read them when you see that your child is starting to pay attention to the printing.

The bright, clear illustrations also provide for focus-getting attention from young children.

The story also provides lots of humor in the form of little surprises behind the flaps. The laughter that follows will help reinforce the learning here.

You should also ask your child what he or she would like to do about Easter eggs. Depending on the emotional responses you get, you can plan for how to celebrate this Easter with your child. I recommend paper eggs until your child is past the "squeezing everything" stage.

Some of the best fun of being a parent is preparing for Easter egg hunts. Don't miss it if you celebrate Easter!

"Happy Easter, Corduroy!"

And a very happy Easter to you and your family, too!

Our son's grandparents bought this book for his second Easter, and he loves it! If your child enjoys lift-the-flap books, this is a good one. I especially like the way certain animals (the Easter Bunny and a little robin) appear on every page, so the child learns to look for them. It's also a very nice introduction to the rituals of egg dyeing and hunting for Easter eggs.