Easter Bunny That Overslept ANNOTATION
Having slept past Easter, the Easter bunny tries to distribute his eggs on Mother's Day, the Fourth of July, and Halloween, but no one is interested until finally Santa Claus is able to get him back on track.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
One spring morning, the Easter Bunny skips merrily along to deliver his colorful, hand-painted eggs. But the children tell him that it's Mother's Day, which can only mean one thing: HE SLEPT THROUGH EASTER! Nobody wants eggs on Mother's Day, or on the Fourth of July — and especially not on Halloween. children will sympathize with the little bunny's plight and cheer when Santa finds the perfect gift to help!
Originally published in 1957, The Easter Bunny that Overslept now returns with a fresh look, promising to delight new generations of children. What a wonderful tale to share at Easter, Mother's Day, Christmas ... or at any time at all!
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature
When the Easter Bunny oversleeps due to the dreary, rainy weather, he tries to bring his eggs to boys and girls at other holidays throughout the year. Alas, no one wants them for Mother's Day, Fourth of July or Halloween. A strong wind carries him to the North Pole where he paints toys for Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, he helps deliver the presents and is rewarded with a gold alarm clock. Nevermore will he oversleep on Easter! Combining collage and gouache, Saaf has created wonderful details in the illustrations, such as the quilt on the Bunny's bed and the grass and the leaves in the autumn scenes. The chalk-like white bunny wearing the blue-striped suit reminds this reviewer of the little bunny in Goodnight Moon. Occasionally, the faces of the humans can be off-putting, and the balloon in the Fourth of July parade is rather peculiar. Despite these petty problems, I welcome this classic holiday book back into print. It was originally published in 1957 with illustrations by Adrienne Adams, and revised and reillustrated by Adams in 1983. According to a note at the beginning of the book, "the text has once again been revised for a new generation." 2002 (orig. 1957), HarperCollins, $15.95 and $15.89. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 3-In this updated and newly illustrated version of a 1957 favorite (Lothrop), which was first revised in 1983 (Morrow, 1987), the Easter bunny sleeps through a rainy Easter Day and doesn't wake up until Mother's Day. He tries to deliver his brightly colored eggs then, but no one wants them. Undaunted, he paints them red, white, and blue; dons an Uncle Sam hat; and joins the Fourth of July parade. No one wants them then either. Sadly, he returns home and naps until October when little ghosts knock on his door for trick or treat. They don't want Easter eggs either. Suddenly a fierce wind snatches up the bunny and blows him all the way north to Santa's house, where he can at least help make children happy. A grateful Santa presents him with a gold alarm clock, and the bunny never again sleeps through Easter. The clever story is written in simple, sprightly language and illustrated in an unusual combination of collage and gouache in brilliant colors and a variety of sizes. The flat, decorative style and lively, cartoon figures have a folk-art charm. A welcome addition for a new generation of readers.-Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
This protean holiday tale's third redaction (1st edition, 1957, illustrated by Adrienne Adams; revised edition, 1983, re-illustrated by Adams) has been dumbed down "for a new generation" (as the Publisher's Note has it) and paired to stiff, coarsely painted collages constructed in part from clipped photos and patterned wallpaper. One year the Easter Bunny oversleeps his appointed gig and discovers that no one wants painted eggs on Mother's Day, or, later, July 4th or Halloween. (The previous edition's "Early in May the rain stopped. The sun shone into the Easter bunny's burrow and woke him up. He yawned and stretched, and put on his new clothes because, of course, he thought it was Easter time," has been reduced to: "That month it rained every day; then in May the sun came out. The bunny woke up. Yawn! Stretch!" Santa, however, welcomes him, puts him to work with the elves, and finally gives him an antique alarm clock so that he'll never oversleep again. Saaf (What Do Ducks Dream?, p. 544, etc.) dresses the Easter Bunny in striped pajamas, and applies white paint so thinly over the brown undercoating that the rabbit's unclothed parts have a smudged, raddled look. Altogether, a charming minor classic in tawdry new dress. (Picture book. 5-7)
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