His Treasure Seekers

Books are big around our house, and holidays are a special excuse to pull out old favorites.  When it comes to the big HOLYdays like Christmas and Easter, I am especially intentional about trying counter the cultural messages that bombard my children and focus on the true reason we celebrate.

To the consternation of some of my friends, we don’t do bunnies and Easter baskets.  I want my children to find wonder and take delight in the miracle of the resurrection, and I think a bunny bringing candy is pretty stiff competition for a young heart’s affections. I also try to keep egg hunts separate from Resurrection Sunday, though because eggs do tie into the celebration as a symbol of new life, we enjoy a few egg-related books and activities in the weeks before Easter.

Here are our families favorite books to celebrate the Passion Week, culminating with Christ’s sacrifice and triumph over death (affiliate links):

The Donkey Who Carried a King by R.C. Sproul

The Legend of the Easter Robin: An Easter Story of Compassion and Faith

 by Dandi Daley Mackall

The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis Higgs

The Legend of the Sand Dollar by Chris Auer

Benjamin’s Box by Melody Carlson and Jack Stockman (goes along with “Resurrection Eggs” and is one of our favorites!)

For the preschoolers, I use The Story of the Resurrection Eggs in Rhyme and Song: Miss Patty Cake Opens Up the Wonder of the Easter Story by Jean Thomason.  I wasn’t sure about the book on its own, but my little ones adore the DVD that goes along with it, which has made the book a treasure as well.

The Very First Easter by Paul L. Maier (This book has beautiful illustrations, which kept Ian intrigued even though the book is better for older children.)

The Easter Cave by Carol Wedeven (repeating pattern in the style of “the house that Jack built”)

The Easter Story illustrated by Gennady Spirin (text from Matthew, Luke, & John in KJV)

Journey, Easter Journey! by Dandi Daley Mackall (Rhyming story that tells of Jesus’ entire life through the ascension. Ours came with a read-along CD.)

The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure (We reviewed the related Egglo glow-in-the-dark eggs a few years ago and this is one of my kids’ favorites.)