The Best Kids Books for Easter
“It is not the end of the world, but the end of a world, and the beginning of a new one. Easter is a child’s holiday, full of surprises.”
— Frederick Buechner
The Story of the Easter Bunny by Katherine Brown Tegen, illustrated by Sally Anne Lambert
A sweet origin story of how the Easter Bunny came to be, with cozy, old-fashioned charm. In a full-family vote, this is by far our favorite book of the season.
Here Comes the Easter Cat by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Claudia Rueda
A hilarious and heartwarming story about a cat who wants to outshine the Easter Bunny—complete with laugh-out-loud illustrations. Truly have never heard my 6-year-old laugh harder at a book than he did at the first read-through of this one. He asked me to please note that this is his #1 favorite Easter book.
Marshmallow by Clare Turlay Newberry
The true story of how Oliver the cat and Marshmallow the bunny become friends. We have been reading this for years and my boys never grow tired of it.
Easter on the Farm by Phyllis Alsdurf, illustrated by Lisa Hunt
A young girl prepares for Easter while living on a farm, celebrating the changing seasons.
The Great Eggscape! by Jory John, illustrated by Pete Oswald
A carton of eggs goes on an egg hunt adventure to help a friend in need. Everything Jory and Pete create is kids’ literary gold.
Rechenka’s Eggs by Patricia Polacco, illustrated by Patricia Polacco
A beautifully illustrated tale of friendship, tradition, and hope, set against the backdrop of Russian Easter egg painting.
The Easter Bunny That Overslept by Priscilla Friedrich, illustrated by Otto Friedrich
A sweet classic about a bunny who misses Easter and learns that it's never too late to bring joy.
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco, illustrated by William Nicholson
A timeless story about love, becoming real, and the magic that comes with being truly seen.
God Gave Us Easter by Lisa Tawn Bergren, illustrated by Laura J. Bryant
We have a faith tradition around this holiday and like finding books that remind us of the origins of Easter. The writing tends to struggle in this category IMHO, but I like this book and appreciate how it bridges faith with the natural world around us.
Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems, illustrated by Mo Willems
This is the final installment in the beloved Knuffle Bunny series, where growing up brings both joy and heartfelt goodbyes. It’s our favorite of the three, but we highly recommend them all!
It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler, illustrated by Roger Bollen
A fun and silly read about finding yourself and learning to love who you are. This one is simple enough for our 6-year-old to read out loud to himself, which has us reading it more regularly than we might otherwise.
Don’t Push the Button! An Easter Surprise by Bill Cotter
Another book our 6-year-old can read cover-to-cover with interactive entertainment our kids have loved for years and never seem to tire of reading. It’s been fun to watch our oldest take over our role, read it to his brother, and mimic the ways we have read it to him.
The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by DuBose Heyward, illustrated by Marjorie Flack
A beloved classic about determination, motherhood, and following your dreams—even when others doubt you.
Fancy Nancy and the Missing Easter Bunny by Jane O’Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
Nancy brings her signature flair to an Easter mystery full of sparkle, style, and heart.
We’re Going on an Egg Hunt by Martha Mumford, illustrated by Laura Hughes
An Easter spin on the classic bear hunt, with liftable flaps for finding eggs.