Bunny's Easter Egg
Busy Bunny is tired after spending the night hiding Easter eggs. Just one remains, but she is so tired that she brings it into her basket and goes to sleep. Suddenly, the egg starts cracking, so Bunny must look for a new spot to sleep. Heading into bed with the hedgehog is too painful. The mice sleeping in an old flowerpot are too noisy, while kittens in the greenhouse are too playful. Finally, Bunny goes back to her basket, and though the egg is gone, there’s a new distraction: a downy little duckling. The simple story line is elevated to delightful heights thanks to Mortimer’s stellar artwork. Her paintings feature lovely flowers throughout and portray cuddly animal characters that are realistic enough to look as though they might hop off the pages. The little brown bunny in particular is so carefully drawn, viewers can almost feel her soft fur. Completing this just-right-for-little-ones package is a game: find the hidden Easter egg in each spread. Preschool-Kindergarten. --Ilene Cooper