Last week was the beginning of Lent. That means Easter is coming! This year it is in April. Passover is also in April. But do you know about Qing Ming? It is another holiday in April. Today we are sharing new picture books about Easter and Qing Ming. We will start with the book about Easter. It is E Is for Easter Egg Hunt by Brittany J. Thurman and illustrated by Derick Brooks. It is an alphabet book and is based on the original podcast: Quentin and Alfie's ABC Adventures. It is recommended for ages 3 to 6.
About the Book:
Based on the award-winning Pinna original podcast, this second picture book in a bold new series of alphabet adventures takes preschooler Alfie and his babysitter Quentin down the neighborhood sidewalk on an egg-citing Easter egg hunt.One of Alfie Bett's favorite times of year is finally here! Spring is in the air, and the whole neighborhood gathers for a day bursting with Easter fun. But Alfie is not sure he can collect enough eggs to win the Easter egg hunt’s golden egg. Fortunately, his awesome babysitter Quentin is there to hop through the park with him on this sensational search. Will Alfie be the winner?
Written by Brittany J. Thurman and illustrated by Derick Brooks, readers will join Quentin and Alfie as they set off on a new neighborhood adventure filled with vibrant surprises and hidden treasures—an alphabet journey about perseverance, determination, and the real meaning of winning the golden prize! E Is for Easter Egg Hunt is the perfect read if you’re looking for:
- Easter gifts for kids 3 to 6 years old
- Heartwarming picture books about the meaning of “winning”
- Diverse read-alouds for pre-K, kindergarten, first grade, and homeschooling curriculum
- Accessible stories with subtle literacy and learning elements
From Me:
Alfie is excited Easter day for an outing with his favorite babysitter, Quentin. Quentin is taking Alfie to the park for an Easter egg hunt. There is a prize for the kid who finds the most eggs. Throughout the book there are words in bold whose first letter goes through the alphabet. Quentin lets Alfie lead the way throughout the hunt. He does not try to tell him where to go or where to look. At times they get distracted by other things like their neighbor entertaining people with music at the gazebo. Alfie worries he doesn't have enough eggs to win but Quentin points out that they have something better than the golden egg prize no matter what. They have memories of time together and having fun.
I love how Quentin makes the egg hunt completely driven by Alfie. In the pictures readers can see eggs they miss but Quentin does not point them out but rather let's Alfie look where he wants and they have fun together. This is a perfect book for Easter baskets and for getting kids ready for the holiday. Of course, the perfect thing to do with the book is an egg hunt!!
Our second book is about the Chinese holiday Qing Ming. The book is With You in Spirit: A Qing Ming Story by Jenny Liao and illustrated by Lenny Wen. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7. It introduces the reader to the Chinese Tomb Sweeping Day or Qing Ming. It describes what the day is, how it is celebrated and why it is celebrated.
About the Book:
A little girl and her family come together to honor her late grandfather on Qing Ming or Tomb-Sweeping Day in this heartwarming story about celebrating ancestors.Join a young girl and her family as they prepare for Qing Ming: cooking favorite dishes and gathering everything they need to visit Yeh Yeh’s grave. The girl is worried because her memories of Yeh Yeh are fading and wonders if he is forgetting her too.
As the family sweeps and clears debris from Yeh Yeh’s grave, burn incense and joss paper, the little girl has an offering of her own. She shares about her adventures and accomplishments from the past year, burning a drawing of a bicycle, so that Yeh Yeh can ride like they used to at the park. With every story and offering, she feels closer to her grandfather. When the family gathers for a picnic at the grave, indulging in Yeh Yeh’s favorite foods—it is a tender moment of togetherness.
A heartwarming story about honoring and celebrating those who are gone.
From Me:
In this sweet book a young girl and her parents go to her grandfather's grave to clean it up and celebrate him. They share a meal and send him memories from the past year. The book does a lovely job of explaining the holiday, Qing Ming, as well as how it is celebrated by this family and some of the why.
In the Author's Note at the end of the book there is more of an explanation of Qing Ming and there is a glossary of Chinese family words. This is a Chinese holiday I had not heard of, so I love that this book is sharing a bit of this culture. It is a beautiful book full of memories and explanations of some of the feelings kids have when they lose a loved one. I love how close the young girl and her grandfather were. This book is perfect for a family explaining Qing Ming to a child, but also for classrooms and families wanting to explore other cultures and ways people celebrate their ancestors.
