Although I am not allowed to share religious stories with my children, I feel that every child needs to know the story of Easter. A great way to introduce children (but sadly not in school) to the story of Easter. It begins with Jesus borrowing a donkey and riding it through town and ends with his resurrection. A story I have told to my grandsons and will retail many years to come.

Book: Read & Share: The Story of Easter by Gwen Ellis, Illustrated by Steve Smallman

ISBN: 9781400314614

Children’s

This complex children’s book, The Story of Easter, by Gwen Ellis, tells the story surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in 32 pages. The book is divided into 13 2-page sections, which allows the parents to make a lesson of each section and/or read the book in more manageable “chunks” for younger children. Each section has scripture references at the beginning and “thought” statements at the end which allow older children to participate in the lessons. A DVD is included in this version and since it does not retell the same Easter story, it is a welcome addition with it’s “6 Stories from the Life of Jesus”. While the book is recommended for children ages 3 to 7, I feel it is more appropriate for ages 4 to 8.

Gwen Ellis is a wonderful storyteller. She takes a difficult subject, tackles it directly, and keeps the young reader in suspense. This book engages children immediately. Both of my children were asking questions and pointing at the pictures from the very first page. She helps parents explain the significance of both Easter and Communion. She also tackles the difficult subjects of disbelief, hatred, and death in a way that is not overwhelming. The illustrations are colorful, age appropriate, and show the emotions of the people in the story. Both the author, Gwen Ellis, and the illustrator, Steve Smallman, have been educating and entertaining children audiences for years. I would recommend this book wholeheartedly.

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” ( )