Story of the Easter Bunny FROM THE PUBLISHER
About the Author:Katherine Tegen decorates all of the rooms in her house every Halloween for the most monstrous of parties. Ms. Tegen has written several children's books under various pen names, and is also a children's book editor. She recently wrote Dracula and Frankenstein Are Friends. She lives with her family in New York City.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
How the Easter bunny came to have his job is told with child-like wonder in The Story of the Easter Bunny by Katherine Tegen, illus. by Sally Anne Lambert. When a "round old couple" who diligently worked year after year painting eggs, weaving baskets and making chocolates can no longer do the work, their pet rabbit takes on the task himself. Muted watercolors of an endearingly antiquated town and the couple's cozy home add to the sweetness of the story. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Sharon Salluzzo
"On a snow-cold day in a snug little house, a round old couple were making Easter eggs." As they wove baskets and molded chocolates, "their little rabbit watched." On Easter, they bring a filled basket to each child in the village. As the couple grows older, their rabbit takes on more and more responsibility until, at last, he is the one who weaves the baskets, molds the chocolates and delivers the baskets. Fearing that the children might discover too many of his secrets, he moves to the forest where his friends help him. This is a charming tale with warm, cozy indoor scenes as well as seasonally changing outdoor scenes. Children will get a fine sense of the passage of time as the cold winter scenes give way to green grass and leaves on the trees. There is also a good sense of anticipation as the items are prepared for giving. The thatched roof cottages, children peeking out the window, and the hard-working rabbit pulling the wagons are all presented in spring pastel colors. This is an enjoyable addition to the holiday collection. 2005, HarperCollins, Ages 3 to 7.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2-An elderly couple's petite white rabbit observes, assists, then eventually takes over the task of weaving baskets, coloring eggs, concocting candy, and delivering the gifts to village children. When the man and woman become too old to continue their labors, the bunny moves the operation to the woods, where he works inside a hollow tree, assisted by other rabbit friends. Tegen's text teems with sensory details: the eggs were "-the color of daffodils and of soft new leaves and of robins' eggs and of violets." Lambert's watercolors make merry with spring's pastels, providing detailed images of the cozy cottage kitchen as well as the rabbit den. However, some children may be concerned when the rabbit preserves the tasks' secrecy by leaving the humans when they are too frail to carry on. Nevertheless, this visually splendid story with folktale rhythms makes a good choice for holiday sharing.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Tegen explores the origins of the Easter Bunny in this sweet, simply told story set in an old-fashioned village with winding streets and stone houses. In this particular village, an elderly couple work all winter preparing baskets of eggs and candies for all the children of the village to enjoy each Easter morning. The "round old man" and the "round old woman" have a white pet rabbit who at first just watches their preparations. As he grows, he helps the couple with their tasks, taking over more of the work and eventually moving the operation to the woods to hide the process from curious children. The short story is gracefully told with just a few sentences on each page, and the large type size and soft watercolor illustrations contribute to the appealing design. The illustrations are full of details that young readers will enjoy spotting, including glimpses of the village children waiting in the windows for the Easter bunny to deliver his baskets. (Picture book. 3-6)
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