Publishers Weekly
- Publisher's Weekly
This reissued picture book condenses the Bible accounts of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ, and includes Easter lore and holiday traditions from many nations. PW said, "The informative text offers many points for family discussion." Ages 7-10. (Feb.)
Children's Literature
- Melinda M. Sprinkle
All children love Easter, and every spring people all across the world celebrate this most joyous occasion. Easter has many meanings, including the day glorified by Christians remembering Jesus and how he arose from death and entered into a new life. For others, Easter is a time to dress in new clothing, color eggs, and anticipate the Easter bunny bringing a basket full of goodies. This clearly written text presents background information about the Christian celebration of Easterand explores many different cultural traditions of this sacred day. Magnificent full-color artwork adds wonder and amazement to the story of Jesus' death and resurrection and enhances the beauty of spring itself. Directions for activities to make and do at Easter time include ways to decorate Easter eggs and a recipe for hot cross buns, a traditional Easter treat. 1997 (orig.
School Library Journal
Gr 1-4A welcome reissue of Fisher's Easter (Crowell, 1968; o.p.), newly illustrated. While much of the content remains the same, the text in many instances has been rearranged and adapted. Sentences have been edited for a smoother flow. Terminology has been altered occasionally to reflect both gender and multicultural sensitivities. Scriptural excerpts are not as prolific and are often paraphrased. The White House egg roll is the only noticeable deletion. Selected activities have been included, e.g., a recipe for hot-cross buns and directions for decorating eggs, but no cautions are extended concerning working with an adult. Vitale's oils on wood panels are a wonderfully effective addition. Their clear, crisp, stylized and almost iconographic appearance provides a highly effective match to Fisher's text. Along with the full-page illustrations, the artist enhances the presentation with border panel motifs that mirror a folk-art style similar to that of the traditional Pysanki eggs. Fisher's attention to Biblical accuracy, in combination with the discussions of customs and origins, results in a fine addition to the holiday shelves. It complements Gail Gibbons's more basic Easter (Holiday, 1989).Celia A. Huffman, Worthington Public Library, OH
Kirkus Reviews
First published in 1968 and newly illustrated by Vitale, this is a history of the Christian celebration of Easter that, after briefly recounting the story of the Resurrection, links the holiday to other spring festivals, covers the ancient custom of giving the gift of an egg (a symbol of the new life of spring), and includes contemporary customs, such as the fashionable stroll down New York City's Fifth Avenue after church on that day. Also included are instructions for egg decoration and a recipe for hot cross buns. Even the recipe demonstrates the clear, informative prose of Fisher, whose expert organization leads from topic to topic. Vitale's illustrations are a marvel; each full-page picture is filled with details that reflect the times, the flora, and the culture of the era shown, colored with a range of appropriate earth tones. Every element of design makes this an inviting addition to the holiday shelf, even for those already owning the original book with Ati Forberg's illustrations.
