One of my favorite memories of the holidays involve reading stories together. For Christmas, there are so many story collections that it's hard to know where to start! For the Easter season, there is little to nothing - especially if you are wanting something different than bunny stories.
So I was excited to review this book - Easter Stories: Classic Tales for the Holy Season. It is a collection of stories - some short (6 pages) and some long (50+ pages), and even a long poem. There are 27 selections in all.
I was a little disappointed with many of the stories. They were just not as interesting as I had hoped. There were a few gems, though. I particularly liked "The Church of the Washing of the Feet."
And I did not care for the illustrations. It may just be a personal bias, but black and white woodcuts just seem to signal that the upcoming material may be boring.
Each selection is in keeping with a theme of redemption and rebirth. Stories feature springtime objects such as lilies and eggs but also feature giants, lizards, and mysterious old ladies, Children (or adults) that love fairy tales will especially enjoy this anthology.
Except for the more lengthy selections, these stories would be great to read as part of regular Lenten devotions. However, I would have liked to have seen a few thought-provoking questions and a scripture reference at the end of each to help facilitate discussion. As it is, you'll have to think of your own supplementary information.
