As families enter the Lenten season, many look for meaningful ways to help their children understand the story of Jesus' death and resurrection and prepare for Holy Week and Easter. Picture books can be a gentle, accessible way to introduce these themes, offering age‑appropriate reflections on sacrifice, patience, and hope. Whether you’re sharing stories at home or preparing a read aloud moment in a classroom or church setting, the right book can open thoughtful conversations and deepen a child’s connection to the season.
This list gathers beautifully written and illustrated picture books that bring the Lent‑to‑Easter narrative to life. From retellings of Scripture to contemporary tales with faith‑based messages, these stories help Christian and Catholic children center their spiritual lives. Each book is crafted to engage young readers’ hearts and imaginations—making them perfect companions as your family journeys through this sacred time together.
It's almost spring, and Sparrow can't wait to enjoy his favorite garden—until he discovers that it's been neglected and overrun with weeds and dead plants. Discouraged and feeling hopeless, Sparrow is ready to give up, when his friends Mousie, Buck, and Turtle show up to help return the garden to its former glory. Over the course of forty days, the friends work the soil, pull out dead plants and weeds, plant seeds, and transplant flowers, hoping the garden will be ready for Easter. Award-winning author Roger Hutchison gives readers a lovely addition to the Sparrow Stories series, just in time for Easter and a world so desperately in need of hope.
When Mary Magdalene went to visit the tomb where Jesus had been buried, she found it empty. Although angels told her Jesus had risen, Mary feared someone had taken his body away. She stayed in the garden to weep, and through her tears, she saw a man—the gardener, she assumed.
With rich illustrations, Mary and the Gardener brings to life the Easter story, told through the eyes of the first person the risen Jesus appeared to: Mary Magdalene. Inviting readers to celebrate Jesus's love, this book reminds us all that Easter marks a new start for Mary—and for everyone.
Look and Find Easter Stories for Young Children
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A young girl and her family are ready to celebrate the new life of spring. She meets baby animals, helps prepare the garden for planting, and collects pussy willows by the marsh. As they get ready to host a community Easter egg hunt on the farm, the family also decorates eggs with natural dyes and makes funny gifts from egg shells and grass. Their Easter celebration begins at church, where they hear a sermon about the wonderful world God has created and how Easter is all about new life.
From the bestselling author of Thanksgiving in the Woods and A Simple Christmas on the Farm, this bright, hopeful story invites readers to gather and celebrate the beauty of spring. Backmatter includes handmade Easter craft activities, including coloring eggs with natural dyes and making eggshell critters. Easter on the Farm is part of the Countryside Holiday series.
We remember the beginning, when the breath of God moved over the waters of the deep. We remember your baptism too—when God's word was spoken and water was poured to welcome you as a beloved child of God! With lyrical text, this picture book lovingly describes the collective memory that a family and church community carry about a child's baptism and what it means to be washed and held in the current of God's love.
This beautiful read-aloud reminds children of the beginning of their faith journeys. We Remember Your Baptism includes a presentation page, a pastoral message from the author, and a place to record baptism memories.
Lift the Flap Easter Stories for Young Children
Full of colorful and bright scenes, Lift-the-Flap Easter Stories for Young Children invites the youngest children to celebrate Jesus' life after death. From the Last Supper to the ascension, this collection of Easter stories contains surprises to uncover and reveal on every page. Filled with delightful surprises on each page, this collection of Easter stories is sure to bring a smile to little ones' faces as they join in the celebration of Jesus' sacrificial love.
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Looking for Lenten reads for adults? This list invites readers to find God in quiet spaces during Lent.
