A wonderful story of a tradition as unforgettable as the fabulous titular suit.
If you can’t find what you want, make it.
Elijah, a young Black child, attends Third Avenue Church, where the two rules of Easter are “show up” and “look good.” Last year, Mother Green’s “hat the size of Saturn” earned a shoutout from Reverend White; the year before, it was Deacon Brown’s head-to-toe red getup. Hoping to be the first kid ever to earn the preacher’s Easter kudos, Elijah tries hard to find the right outfit. But nothing seems right. Mother Green and Deacon Brown tell Elijah that when laws prevented African Americans from shopping in stores, they repurposed family clothes to make new ones; knowing where “every stitch of cloth came from” made it special. Deacon Brown reminds Elijah that Easter isn’t about competition but about honoring history. Elijah goes home and gathers fabrics that hold fond memories to create his Easter suit. Jackson’s culturally rich text, which rhymes at key moments, and Boateng’s vibrant images—particularly of the textured patterned of clothing—make for a delightful and entertaining read. From character names to illustrations depicting each person with a unique physique and style, these creators’ attention to detail is notable. The backmatter explores the role of slavery and the post–Civil War era to explain why Easter ensembles have historically been so important in the Black community.
A wonderful story of a tradition as unforgettable as the fabulous titular suit. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Jan. 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780593649954
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers.
The bestselling series (How to Catch an Elf, 2016, etc.) about capturing mythical creatures continues with a story about various ways to catch the Easter Bunny as it makes its annual deliveries.
The bunny narrates its own story in rhyming text, beginning with an introduction at its office in a manufacturing facility that creates Easter eggs and candy. The rabbit then abruptly takes off on its delivery route with a tiny basket of eggs strapped to its back, immediately encountering a trap with carrots and a box propped up with a stick. The narrative focuses on how the Easter Bunny avoids increasingly complex traps set up to catch him with no explanation as to who has set the traps or why. These traps include an underground tunnel, a fluorescent dance floor with a hidden pit of carrots, a robot bunny, pirates on an island, and a cannon that shoots candy fish, as well as some sort of locked, hazardous site with radiation danger. Readers of previous books in the series will understand the premise, but others will be confused by the rabbit’s frenetic escapades. Cartoon-style illustrations have a 1960s vibe, with a slightly scary, bow-tied bunny with chartreuse eyes and a glowing palette of neon shades that shout for attention.
This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4926-3817-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
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