By Lisa Tawn Bergren
Little Cub wants to know what Easter means, so Papa Bear tells her the Christian story of Jesus, gently and in order, as they walk.
Little Cub wants to know why Easter matters, and whether it's Papa's favorite holiday. So Papa Bear takes her out walking and answers as they go, each question opening the next. He tells her that God made the whole world, that people turned away from Him, and that God loved them so much He sent Jesus, who died on a cross and rose again three days later, so people could always stay close to God. The whole thing stays a father and child talking as they walk. It closes on love and new life.
If you want the Christian meaning of Easter told to a preschooler softly, this is the one. The polar-bear frame keeps everything tender and unhurried. The hard parts, that Jesus died and that he rose, are said plainly and then folded back into 'because God loves you.' Laura Bryant's snowy pictures are pure comfort. If your family already knows the 'God Gave Us' books, this fits right in as the Easter title.