Goodness gracious, did you know that Easter is like minutes away? When did that happen? I am SO behind. I forgot it was early this year. I’m scrambling to put together Easter baskets for all the kiddos in my life. This year, they really do run the whole gambit on age groups, from my friend’s new baby up to another’s teenage daughter.
While I’m still working on other ideas, I know books will make their way into every Easter basket. This holiday is just right for encouraging reading, especially since this year it takes place during Dr. Seuss’ birth month. If you’re looking for some fresh and fun book ideas, I’ve got you covered! Check out books that belong in every Easter basket.
An Easter Basket Full of Books: Ideas for all Ages
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Easter Basket Book Ideas for Babies through Preschool
Reading to your baby isn’t just a sweet way to get in a little quality bonding time, it sets the foundations for a future reader. A few books to think about for your tiny tots’ Easter baskets include:
This sweet story book celebrates a mom’s love for her little one through beautiful prose. This is a great book for moms, grandmothers (or caretakers) to give their kids.
How to Put Your Parents to Bed
This one is definitely going to my niece Abbie! Although considering that my brother and sister-in-law go to bed insanely early, I don’t think she needs much help getting them there. It’s a fun role-reversal book to read with toddlers, or to encourage your preschooler and kindergartner to work on those reading skills. Full of bright pictures and charmingly witty text.
Pete the Cat: Old MacDonald Had a Farm Board Book
Jake was a HUGE fan of Pete the Cat when he was a tot. While you can get this one cheaper in paperback format, the board book is just right for little hands (and mouths, because you know they’ll chew on it!).
This is one of my favorites right now! The crayons are totally freaking out! They’re ready for a big show, but then find that someone dared to scribble on one of their pages. They can’t go on! They have to cancel this book! Then Frankencrayon figures out a solution. What is it? Read the book and find out!
Oh, the adorableness of this book! Little Miss starts a worldwide harvest of love with one little kiss, planted on the ground. Great way to show even the smallest of tots that a tiny act of kindness can change the planet.
Great Easter Basket Books for Elementary School Kids
The Secret Subway
I love the mysterious cover of this true story of the first subway train in NYC. It’s an educational tale about something that really isn’t covered all that often. It’s described as a fun gothic steampunk sort of book, a perfect choice for kids who really aren’t into fluffy bunny stories.
Harry Potter Coloring Book
Jacob is currently going through major Harry Potter withdrawals. We just watched all the movies together, and I’m trying to get him to read the books now. In the mean time, this coloring book is just perfect. It’s great for adults too! I think I’ll have to get an extra one for myself. I’ve been re-reading all the books and I’m sure I’ll be in HP withdrawal soon too!
The Book with No Pictures
This book may have no pictures, but it’s full of silliness that elementary school kids will adore! It’s even better when parents read it out loud. In fact, that’s one of the rules of the book: every word MUST be read aloud.
The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party
It’s the day of Princess Magnolia’s birthday party and she wants everything to be perfect! But just as the guests are arriving, the Monster Alarm goes off. Magnolia defeats one monster only to have the alarm go off again and again. Don’t these monsters know it’s her birthday and she has a secret identity to protect?
Diary of a Wimpy Kid #10: Old School
The latest installment in the Wimpy Kids series is sure to be a hit in your child’s Easter basket! This one and the next book are really close to being middle-grader books, but they’re easy enough for older elementary school kids to read too. Jake’s been reading them since 3rd grade.
Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics
In this sequel to Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, books are missing from the library and it’s up to the reader to help get them back! More than just a story, this book is packed with fun puzzles and mysteries for your 8-12 year old to solve.
Middle Grade Books
My son is a middle-grader now, so I’m trying to expand his literary horizons a bit. He’s a huge fan of series like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Captain Underpants, but he’s already read every book at least twice. Take a look at a few other great middle-grade books that belong in an Easter basket!
Crenshaw
Crenshaw is a large imaginary cat who comes into Jackson’s life just when he needs him the most. Jackson’s family is facing tough times. They’re out of money for rent and nearly out of food money. They may end up living in the family van if things don’t change. I have to say, this strikes a very familiar chord, as I was in a “close call” situation with rent money a few years ago. I tried to shield Jake from the situation, but kids pick up on things.
Echo
Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Many years later, three kids from three different parts of the world find themselves in the same mystery when the harmonica comes into their lives. Soon, the three solo stories become one, in a tale that’s described as an orchestral crescendo.
Herobrine’s Message: An Unofficial Minecraft-Fan Adventure (Elementia Chronicles)
Jake is a huge fan of this fan-written Minecraft adventure series. There are loads of Minefraft fan fiction books out there for middle-grade kids, but this one really develops a rich and engaging world like no other. They’re thick tomes, too, so they’ll keep your kids busy for a while! I have the newest one for Jake for when he’s sitting in the office during the PSSAs. I opt him out, and since he’s the only one, they never quite know what to do with him. So he sits and reads.
Big Nate: Thunka, Thunka, Thunka
If your kids are fans of the Wimpy Kids and Captain Underpants series, they’ll love Big Nate. It’s written in comic book style, but thick enough to give them hours of enjoyment. In this installment, Big Nate is pretty stressed out. Fortunately, he has the best solution! An empty soda bottle. He just thunks it against his head and voila, problems melt away!
The Inn Between
Eleven-year-old Quinn has had some bad experiences lately. When her best friend Kara has to move, Quinn goes on one last trip with her. They stop at a creepy hotel, where strange things happens around them. When Kara’s parents and brother vanish, the girls have to figure out what’s going on.
YA Books
Ah, now we’re in my favorite territory! I may be 40 years old, but I love a good YA book! Keeps me feeling young! Or maybe I’m still just young at heart! On MY wishlist:
Wink Poppy Midnight
Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Between the three, a secret will be uncovered.
The Siren
Fans of Cass will love this standalone fantasy about Kahlen, a Siren duty-bound to lure sailors to their deaths and Akinli, the handsome boy she really doesn’t want to kill.
Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham Book 1: The Golden Age
Anything by Gaiman makes my list! From Amazon: “Atop Olympus, Miracleman presides over a brave new world forged from London’s destruction. It is a world free of war, of famine, of poverty. A world of countless wonders. A world where pilgrims scale Olympus’ peak to petition their living god while, miles below, the dead return in fantastic android bodies. It is an Age of Miracles — but is mankind ready for it?”
The Girl from Everywhere
A time-traveling fantasy/mystery that takes you from modern-day New York City, to nineteenth-century Hawaii to places that only exist in myths and legend. When Nix’s father decides he’s going to go back and change one very important moment, Nix knows she has to stop him or risk losing the love of her life…or her very own life!
This Is Where It Ends
Okay, so it’s not a bright and happy book, but this is a powerful story of what happens in the 54 minutes after a student decides to take his revenge on his school. I think it has a powerful message.
There you go! 21 ideas from tots to tweens for Easter basket books. Fill a basket full of books or just add one or two. Books are always a good gift! Remember, it doesn’t HAVE to be about fluffy bunnies or spring flowers to be meaningful. It just has to be something they would enjoy!
For more Easter and spring entertainment ideas, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:
- 7 Best Easter Games Preschoolers Will Really Love by In Our Spare Time
- A Spriteful Start to Spring by The Guavalicious Life
- Games and Toys for Kid’s Easter Baskets by Optimistic Mommy
- 5 Movies for Kids to Watch This Easter by Mom Does it All
- Easter Books for Kids by Mom on the Side
- Printable Easter Word Search by Momma D Jane
- Easter Party Games by Gaggle of Gamers
- Personalized Easter Books (and more) by SMS Nonfiction Book Reviews
- 5 Zootopia Books to Fill Your Child’s Easter Basket by OurFamilyWorld
Do you have any favorite books that you like to put in your child’s Easter basket? Tell me in the comments!
I haven’t heard of most of these. I do like the Diary of the Wimpy Kid series though.
Even if I am not a kid anymore, I like these books a lot. Hope I am not the only one enjoying children’s books.
These are great ! My daughter would like to read almost all of them! Thanks for the list!
I have never put books into my kids easter baskets. These all sound great, though 🙂
What wonderful and wholesome suggestions! I’ll be sending this list to my sister, for sure!
Such a great list and a good idea for Easter. I bought a bunch of books for my son’s Easter basket. So important to encourage reading early on.
These are really good recommendations. I think including at least one book in the Easter basket is a really good idea.
We love Pete the Cat! Great list! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I like that you were able to select books from the little ones up to the teens. Thanks for sharing these covers! They seem like amazing stories. I like the Harry Potter coloring book as well.
This is really exciting, I would love The Siren, Glad you share this
Great list. A lot of these I haven’t even seen before. I bet my kids would love all of them.
Love this list! I think I’m going to have to read The Girl From Everywhere. I love reading time travel, even if it’s for kids, lol.
These are great books and ideas for Easter baskets! Love this!
We always put a book in my son’s easter basket. It’s a great gift that isn’t candy. I also add some other little toys and trinkets.
i love all the books above! all we know sounds very nice and nice to put in easter basket indeed!
I bet any kid would love the Harry Potter coloring book. I know I would, and I’m not even a kid! haha