The Easter Surprise

February 1, 2019
A rabbit named Fern solves a mystery as she follows clues in the shape of decorated eggs painted with the faces of her farm-animal friends.A dramatic cover photograph of a huge rabbit in a basket of intricately decorated Easter eggs draws readers into this story, the fifth in the Sweet Pea & Friends series. The story is illustrated with photographs of the animals that live on the author-photographer team's farm in Vermont, with a large cast of characters who have appeared in previous books in the series. The production values of these digitally composed photographic illustrations are outstanding, with an oversized format, high-quality paper, and brilliant colors that showcase the beautifully painted eggs hidden throughout. Many of the eggs are painted in Ukrainian folk-art style, with one large egg on each spread decorated with an animal character's face, predicting the appearance of that animal on the next spread. The actual story is a little too wordy for the intended audience, with a rather confusing total of 17 named characters to keep straight as the simple mystery of who planted the eggs unfolds. The solution to the mystery of the face-bedecked eggs is, of course, revealed with the appearance of the Easter Bunny, who has been glimpsed throughout the previous illustrations. A concluding note provides more information about the farm animals and the artist who painted the eggs.The magical quality of the photographic illustrations and the enchanting eggs give this Easter-themed story extra appeal. (Picture book. 3-7)

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February 4, 2019
The Churchmans first introduced Moonrise Farm and its animal residents in The SheepOver. The series continues with an Easter-themed story starring Fern, a tawny-colored rabbit, who is looking for a friend who “promised her a surprise today.” Fern roams a springtime barnyard, pasture, and light-bathed woodland, where she discovers an Easter egg featuring an image of an orange kitten: “The picture on that egg looks just like Mo the farm kitten.” Ornately illustrated eggs by Ukrainian artist Theresa Somerset use Jan Brett–style visual foreshadowing, featuring images of the animals that will appear next. (“Fern discovered Mo prowling around the kitchen garden.”) Readers familiar with the other titles in the Sweet Pea & Friends series will appreciate the reappearance of characters, including Sweet Pea the sheep and sheepdog Maisie. The joyful photo illustrations offer a dreamlike, pastoral world that readers will be eager to revisit. Ages 4–8.