Teaching Children the Importance of Good Deeds: A New Easter Tradition {Carrot Saves Easter Book Review}

Since becoming a mother over 5 years ago, it's been important to me to not only teach my children the ABCs and 123s, but also teach them practical skills, values, ethnic and religious heritage, and instill in them a sense of identity and belonging. Through our family's traditions, my children are not only learning all of these things, but are forming lasting memories for years to come.

What are our family traditions? 

Well, each October a "Halloween Ghost" visits us for 31 days and leaves a little treat behind (yes, each day). In November we trace our hands, cut them out, and write one thing we are thankful for on the back, then hang our "leaves" on our "thankfulness tree" built out of branches we find in the yard. In the winter, we donate toys to children in need, and cut down our own tree at the local farm. At Christmastime, our Elf Sparkle brings us a Christmas book to read each day, and leaves a new version of The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve each year.

We have smaller traditions and rituals like having pizza every Friday night, going out for dessert on Thursday evenings, and reading exactly 3 books before bed.

A new tradition
Today I'm sharing a new book, Carrot Saves Easter, that will inspire our newest family tradition.

Created by a local Philadelphia mother of two and speech pathologist, Amanda Macielinski , Carrot Saves Easter teaches children about the importance of doing good deeds. While the book is about Easter, it isn't overtly a religious story. The creator's intent with writing the book is to bring families closer through a new tradition, and hopes that families enjoy reading all of their good deeds together, year after year.

The tale of a bunny helper

The story of Carrot Saves Easter takes place on Easter Island where a magical factory relies on kindness to help make sweet treats for little boys and girls to eat on Easter. But a problem arises when the Easter Bunny realizes the supply of good deeds is running low! A bunny helper named Carrot comes to Easter's rescue by traveling far and wide to bring stories of good deeds back to Easter Island.  

Each copy of the book comes with its own bunny helper like Carrot, who reports back to the Easter Bunny all the good deeds that your child does during the Easter season. Children are encouraged to "Each night before Easter tell your bunny helper the good deeds you have done" so that Easter can be saved year after year. There is a journal in the back of the book to record all of your child's acts of kindness.

What do I love about this book?

• It provides great talking points for parents and children to discuss what it means to be a kind person, perform selfless acts, and why these things are important. Discussions like these are important for receptive and expressive language development.
• It's a book that truly encourages parent and child bonding time in an age of technology 
• It gives specific examples of children doing good deeds.
• It provides the opportunity for children to practice writing skills with the inclusion of the journal.
• It makes a wonderful family keepsake to look back on each year.
• It's a sturdy and well-made product! The book will withstand being a favorite and the bunny helper is high quality to withstand cuddles from any child for many years. 

In addition to my being a fan of the book, my children really enjoyed reading it too. The illustrations are full of vibrant colors, and include one hidden egg on each page (which my children thoroughly enjoyed finding). This book inspired my daughter to make me breakfast in bed one morning (it was not yummy at all, but so cute), and I'm very impressed at my daughter's desire to do good deeds. My son is younger and only beginning to understand what it means to be a "good" person, but I know this book will help him this year and in the future!

If you'd like to adopt your very own bunny helper and make this new Easter tradition a part of your family, books can be purchased online at www.carrotsaveseaster.com, and at the King of Prussia Mall at Layla's Boutique. 

Easter-Themed Books for Babies and Toddlers

It feels like every time I turn around there is another holiday coming up, and now we are counting down to Easter.  We always celebrate each holiday with several books, both familiar and new.  I keep the holiday books that we own in special closet, and I put them on baby bookworm's bookshelves a few weeks before the big day. What I love about holiday-themed books is the excitement and anticipation they give to a young child.  Not to mention, they teach about traditions, religious beliefs, and customs.

Here's the books that have gotten us into the spirit of Easter.

Minerva Louise and the Colorful Eggs 
by Janet Morgan Stoeke



The hen Minerva Louise finds herself confused by the unusual eggs she discovers one springtime day at the farm.  Not only are the eggs in strange places, but some of them have spots and stripes!  In this story, your child will be taken on a fun egg hunt through the eyes of this lovable hen as she tries to figure out what kind of hen would do such a silly thing!

With text that is rich with springtime vocabulary - this book lends itself as a nice educational tool for the under 3 crowd.  The illustrations are full of bright colors that are contrasted by black outlines, and at 27 months baby bookworm already sees the humor in this tale which means she wants to read it again and again (and I don't mind).

Where Are Baby's Easter Eggs?
by Karen Katz



Over the past two years we have read many of Karen Katz's lift-the-flap books.  Why?  Because they are a guaranteed hit.  Karen Katz has the formula for a successful baby book, and has created several books that follow it.  Where Are Baby's Easter Eggs? is a great book for little bookworms under the age of 2 because the language is simple and fun.  But, those in the 2 - 3 age range will also delight in searching for the hidden Easter eggs in this book.

It's interactive. It's colorful.  It's a surprise on every page. And, it will give your baby a trial run before his or her own big Easter egg search.

My First Easter
by Tomie DePaola



What things do you associate with Easter?  Blooming flowers?  New clothes?  The Easter bunny? Coloring eggs?  Easter lilies?  My First Easter highlights some of the traditions of the holiday in a baby-friendly way. Use this book as fun conversation starter about how Easter is celebrated in your home - that's what we did.

Dora's Easter Basket
adapted by Sarah Wilson and Illustrated by Susan Hall



A fun tale for the adventurous child.  Like other books in the Dora the Explorer series, this book asks the reader to help Dora on her journey and, in this case, it's a hunt for twelve special eggs.

What I like about the Dora series is that: 1) it does teach kids Spanish, without "teaching" kids Spanish. In fact, one morning baby bookworm rattled off 1 - 10 in Spanish with ease.  I've never "taught" her this, but I'm thinking Dora did, and 2) there is an interactive adventure that asks the child questions throughout the book that are educational in nature.  It kinda makes the parent's job a little easier!

Baby bookworm is a huge fan of this book, and of this Spanish-speaking character.  And, I will have to admit that I enjoy them, too.

Little Rabbit's Easter Surprise
by Kenn and Joanne Compton

Little Rabbit wants to help his father the Easter Bunny on Easter morning.  As his father loads up a cart full of eggs for that day's Easter egg hunt, little rabbit decides he wants to decorate one more egg. When it's time to hide the eggs, little rabbit has a hard time letting go of his special egg. This book has a comic-book feel, which baby bookworm enjoys, and I love how it makes the Easter bunny family come to life.

Looking for a book about the real story of Easter, and not an Easter bunny tale?  Check out The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story by Jan and Mike Berenstain.

We haven't read this one yet, but I overheard a mom at the library mention it and definitely want to check it out.

And what did baby bookworm ask the Easter Bunny for this year? 

Books.  

I can't make this stuff up.

And, because I can't let the Easter Bunny disappoint her, her basket will be filled with The Lorax,

Olivia Saves the Circus, and Flat Stanley.

Since she's very allergic to eggs - I figure it's the least he can do.