This week’s “Book of the Week” is getting a whole blog post! We are loving the new book, Bunny Finds Easter. Many of you have asked for ideas for what to put in your children’s Easter baskets and this book would be perfect. I am sharing about the book PLUS a cute craft to try and an interview with the author. 

 

Bunny Finds Easter is a sweet board book for kids about finding the meaning of Easter. It’s a fun and colorful Easter tale filled with cute animals but along the way the Easter story is told in a way that little ones can understand. I love that there are crosses through out the story that you can see if the kids can spot. After chatting with the author about this and discussing a craft that would go along with the book, I came up with this easy craft for kids to try (that makes beautiful Easter decor for the home!):

Supplies: Masking tape, paint, canvas

We did the project on canvas but also tried it on a small canvas tote. Both came out great. The tote would be a cute craft to let them make to use on Easter or for Easter egg hunts!

 

Directions: Make a cross out of masking tape on the canvas. Paint the entire canvas. Once it is completely dry, carefully peel off the tape. 

 

An Interview with Author Laura Sassi

What’s the idea behind the new book? I wanted to write a board book for preschoolers and toddlers that would celebrate the fun Easter traditions like decorating Easter eggs and going on Easter egg hunts, but which could also serve as an introduction to the real gift of Easter – Jesus! And the way I decided to do this was through the eyes of a sweet bouncy protagonist named Bunny who wakes up Easter morning determined find out what Easter is all about. 

Who is your favorite character?  That’s easy — Bunny! Bunny’s joy on Easter Sunday is contagious and illustrator Ela Jarzabek has done an incredible job of rendering her sweet and eager spirit in a heartwarming way. For example, on the page where Bunny realizes that Easter is about Jesus, the text reads, “Her whiskers twitch. She thinks she knows and deep inside her spirit glows.”  And, somehow, through Ela’s use of color and brush stroke, Bunny really does seem to glow from deep inside. So cute!

What’s one thing you hope children take away from the story? I hope that children will take to heart that the wonder of Easter is Jesus and His great love for them – a love greater and sweeter than the sweetest jelly bean or chocolate egg. 

A little bit “about you” too! Over the course of my life, I’ve donned many hats. I’ve been a teacher, homeschool mom, children’s ministry director, historic museum interpreter, and more. But at every stage, I’ve loved writing and telling stories. And for the last eight years, since my first book released in 2014, I’ve had the joy of sharing my picture books with little ones and their families near and far. 

I am the author of six books for children including the best-selling Goodnight, Ark, which was a 2015 Christian Book Award Finalist; Goodnight, Manger; Diva Delores and the Opera House Mouse, which won First Honor Book for the 2019 Best in Rhyme Award and is a 2021-2022 Iowa Goldfinch Award Nominee; Love Is Kind, which was a 2020 Anna Dewdney Read Together Award Honor Book; Little Ewe: The Story of One Lost Sheep and my new board book with Zonderkidz, Bunny Finds Easter! There’s another book on the way, too, but that’s all I can say for now.  =)