The Easter Bunny That Overslept: An Easter And Springtime Book For Kids

by Priscilla & Otto Friedrich, Donald Saaf (Illustrator)

Overview

One spring morning, the Easter Bunny skips merrily along to deliver his colorful, hand-painted eggs. But the children tell him that it's Mother's Day, which can only mean one thing: HE SLEPT THROUGH EASTER! Nobody wants eggs on Mother's Day, or on the Fourth of July — and especially not on Halloween. Children will sympathize with the little bunny's plight and cheer when Santa finds the perfect gift to help!

Originally published in 1957, The Easter Bunny that Overslept now returns with a fresh look, promising to delight new generations of children. What a wonderful tale to share at Easter, Mother's Day, Christmas ... or at any time at all!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780060296452
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/22/2002
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	478,647
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.33(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Priscilla and Otto Friendrich lived on Long Island for most of their lives. They raised five children — and told them all wonderful stories. The inspiration for this tale came one rainy Easter that should have been postponed until a sunny day. The Easter Bunny that Overslept was the Friedrichs' first picture book for children.

Donald Saaf creates collages by carefully integrating torn wallpaper, images from magazines and catalogs, and photocopies of everyday objects with his bold gouache paintings. He has illustrated such popular books as Pushkin Minds the Bundle, Flemenpeo, and Animal Music. Trained in painting at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Donald Saaf exhibits his work at the nearby Clark Gallery. He lives with his family in Saxtons River, Vermont.

Editorial Reviews

A welcome addition for a new generation of readers. ” — —School Library Journal

“A bold new edition that kids will take to their hearts.” — ALA Booklist

From the Publisher

A bold new edition that kids will take to their hearts.

ALA Booklist

PreS-Gr 3-In this updated and newly illustrated version of a 1957 favorite (Lothrop), which was first revised in 1983 (Morrow, 1987), the Easter bunny sleeps through a rainy Easter Day and doesn't wake up until Mother's Day. He tries to deliver his brightly colored eggs then, but no one wants them. Undaunted, he paints them red, white, and blue; dons an Uncle Sam hat; and joins the Fourth of July parade. No one wants them then either. Sadly, he returns home and naps until October when little ghosts knock on his door for trick or treat. They don't want Easter eggs either. Suddenly a fierce wind snatches up the bunny and blows him all the way north to Santa's house, where he can at least help make children happy. A grateful Santa presents him with a gold alarm clock, and the bunny never again sleeps through Easter. The clever story is written in simple, sprightly language and illustrated in an unusual combination of collage and gouache in brilliant colors and a variety of sizes. The flat, decorative style and lively, cartoon figures have a folk-art charm. A welcome addition for a new generation of readers.-Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

This protean holiday tale's third redaction (1st edition, 1957, illustrated by Adrienne Adams; revised edition, 1983, re-illustrated by Adams) has been dumbed down "for a new generation" (as the Publisher's Note has it) and paired to stiff, coarsely painted collages constructed in part from clipped photos and patterned wallpaper. One year the Easter Bunny oversleeps his appointed gig and discovers that no one wants painted eggs on Mother's Day, or, later, July 4th or Halloween. (The previous edition's "Early in May the rain stopped. The sun shone into the Easter bunny's burrow and woke him up. He yawned and stretched, and put on his new clothes because, of course, he thought it was Easter time," has been reduced to: "That month it rained every day; then in May the sun came out. The bunny woke up. Yawn! Stretch!" Santa, however, welcomes him, puts him to work with the elves, and finally gives him an antique alarm clock so that he'll never oversleep again. Saaf (What Do Ducks Dream?, p. 544, etc.) dresses the Easter Bunny in striped pajamas, and applies white paint so thinly over the brown undercoating that the rabbit's unclothed parts have a smudged, raddled look. Altogether, a charming minor classic in tawdry new dress. (Picture book. 5-7)

Kirkus Reviews