Today's read... Easter on the Farm by Phyllis Alsdurf

The first signs of Spring are popping up around the farm, which had me grabbing up today's read without a second thought. Easter might still be several weeks away, but everything needs preparation...including the Easter holiday celebration. Plus, there is Lent.

This is part of a series of books featuring holidays on a farm. I haven't read the other ones, yet, so it is a surprise.

EASTER ON THE FARM

Countryside Holidays

by Phyllis Alsdurf

Illustrated by Lisa Hunt

Beaming Books

Picture Book  /   Seasonal

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING MARCH 5th!!!

Spring is here, and the farm is waking up to new life! A young girl and her family are ready to celebrate the new life of spring. She meets baby animals, helps prepare the garden for planting, and collects pussy willows by the marsh. As they get ready to host a community Easter egg hunt on the farm, the family also decorates eggs with natural dyes and makes funny gifts from egg shells and grass. From the bestselling author of Thanksgiving in the Woods and A Simple Christmas on the Farm , this bright, hopeful story invites readers to gather and celebrate the beauty of spring. Backmatter includes handmade Easter craft activities, including coloring eggs with natural dyes and making eggshell critters. Easter on the Farm is the fourth in the Countryside Holiday series.

GOODREADS    /    BEAMING BOOKS

MY TIDBITS

Easter traditions, old and new, sprinkle between budding Spring and more than a few joyful scenes.

A girl on a farm is excited to see the first signs of Spring. Preparing the garden, watching the birth of lambs, and much more make each day an exciting experience. Plus, there are the preparations for the upcoming Easter celebration until the day arrives. 

This is told in first person and jumps from one moment to the next. The text is slightly heavier, but thanks to the changing scenes and the holiday echoes, even the younger end of the age group should enjoy it. Only reluctant readers might take glances here and there. But the goodness doesn't end with the story.

Spring vibes and Easter atmosphere radiate from every page with fitting illustrations done in bright pastels. Each page reflects the activities and cheerful experiences. There are inviting moments from farm life as well as wholesome relationships between family and friends. The girl bounces from one situation to the next, embracing everything with a positive attitude. So much so that it will have listeners wishing they could partake in some of the fun. And they can. In the tale, several craft projects are introduced, which are fitting for the age group. These are visited again at the end of the book with instructions on how to make each Easter surprise. 

There is a slight religious direction, which fits very well to the theme and slides right in with the usual Easter celebration. The entire read uplifts and inspires listeners to begin Easter preparations of their own.

And here they are...

Phyllis Alsdurf is a former journalism and creative writing professor and the author of It's Milking Time (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2019) and Thanksgiving in the Woods (Beaming Books, 2017).
Phyllis holds a PhD in journalism, with an emphasis on media and religion, and master's degrees in humanities and journalism. She has written and edited for a variety of religious publications and contributed to several books on media and religion.

Lisa Hunt is a freelance illustrator living near London, England. She has a degree in Fine Art from Coventry University and has illustrated several books and worked for publishers in the United States and the United Kingdom.
When not at her desk, Lisa can usually be found in the local coffee shop happily eating carrot cake, or sitting on the staircase at home waggling a bit of string at an over-excitable ginger cat.