That Grand Easter Day by Jill Roman Lord & illustrated by Alessia Trunfio [Review & Giveaway]

What happened the day the stone rolled away?

My thoughts: This is a very well done picture book that recounts the day of Christ's resurrection. The day is told in verse by verse rhyme that follows the cadence of an old familiar nursery rhyme (House that Jack Built). This cadence makes it easy to grab the attention of young listeners and they can repeat the lines with the reader. The verses are cumulative building with repetitions on the previous verses.

The illustrations are very nicely done and the artist has pictured the people realistically and appropriately as middle eastern in skin tone and not caucasian.

This story focuses on the discovery of the empty tomb and the Resurrection of Christ.

The book begins with John 3:16 "For God So loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." and concludes with John 10:10 "I am come that they may have life and have it to the full." (NIV version) 

I absolutely love the focus on the empty tomb and the resurrected Christ. I think this is a lovely book and recommend it. I do, however, have one small drawback which is simply personal. I don't care for the inclusion of a bunny in the story. While surely there were birds and animals in the area on resurrection day, the universally accepted inclusion of bunnies into the celebration of this very special day in the Christian year is cause for concern. In this book, the bunny is simply there and carries no significant or stated purpose.

About the book: That Grand Easter Day! is a cumulative story that begins with the stone in front of the tomb and ends with a new beginning—the Resurrection of Christ. The lively narrative builds as it progresses, adding people, objects, and animals that may have witnessed the events of that day long ago. Little ones will love the repetition, which adds a pleasing level of predictability and helps to make the story of the first Easter more memorable. The upbeat, reverent story is accompanied by luminous illustrations which bring the story to life. This engaging picture book will be a read-aloud favorite at Eastertime and throughout the year.

GIVEAWAY

Begins February 8

Ends February 19 @ 12:01 a.m. EST

Open to Continental USA addresses only

a Rafflecopter giveaway DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from WorthyKids/Ideals to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own, alone, and are freely given.