Thinking about Easter yet? Or concentrating on participating in Lent to the fullest? Here are some wonderful books to assist all ages in entering into these seasons of penitence and rejoicing. You’ll find Lenten Picture Books, Stations of the Cross for kids Books, Palm Sunday Books, and Easter Books on this List.
This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. Alternatively, you can buy many of these books through Bookshop instead on my list: https://bookshop.org/lists/good-picture-books-about-lent-and-easter-for-catholic-kids
Lenten Picture Books
Little Rose of Sharon is a poignant story which explores themes about true beauty and self-sacrifice. A vain little rose eventually chooses to give up all her beautiful petals to keep an egg warm, thus imitating the total self-sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
In this folktale retold, three trees dream about their future. Each tree finds its dreams achieved, but in a different way than they ever could have expected.The Tale of Three Trees is a lesson in divine providence and self-sacrifice.
There are many great versions of the Stations of the Cross for Children. Here is wonderful one for ages 5-10 from Word Among Us Press: Walking with Jesus to Calvary: Stations of the Cross for Children. For each station, there is a description that draws the child to imagine what being at the Passion might have been like, then a personal prayer to encourage the child to speak straight to Jesus.
Stations of the Cross for Kids combines Scripture, meditaiton, prayer, and stunning visuals to engage children. This may be my favorite Stations book yet.
This simple but lovely little Stations of the Cross for Children provides a short meditation and illustration for each station.
New in 2021, Raymond Arroyo’s The Thief Who Stole Heaven retells the story of the famous Good Thief, St. Dismas. Check out my full review here! To buy on Amazon, click The Thief Who Stole Heaven.
Palm Sunday
Little Colts Palm Sunday is the perfect story to read on Palm Sunday. The author fancifully imagines Palm Sunday through the eyes of the colt that carried Jesus into Jerusalem.
Also perfect to begin on Palm Sunday, The Easter Story Egg is a book and nesting egg. Each day between Palm Sunday and Easter, your family opens an egg and reads the accompanying Bible verses and meditation. Difficult to find but a neat tradition.
Easter Picture Books
Looking for the Easter story as recounted in the Gospels? Fiona French’s beautiful book Easter may be the perfect fit. She uses colorful pictures inspired by stained glass windows to bring the Passion and Resurrection to life in a luminous way.
Rechenka’s Eggs is a charming story about giving, friendship, and how eggs are a sign of the miracle of new life. We love the beautiful Russian style illustrations.
The Story of Easter is a sweet little board book for the smallest children. It ties together spring, new life, and Jesus rising from the dead neatly. The emphasis is on the fact that Easter is really about Jesus loving us through his death and resurrection.
The Easter Cave tells the Easter story in a simple, rhythmic style inspired by “The House that Jack Built.”
In The Easter Swallows, children see the Passion and Resurrection through the eyes of two kind little swallows. Unfortunately out of print so you have to buy it used.
The Legend of the Easter Robin: An Easter Story of Compassion and Faith is a charming story about compassion and trusting God. A little girl learns to trust God through uncertainty as her Grandmother teaches her the legend of the Easter robin.
The Egg Tree is a lovely old story about special family Easter traditions across the generations.
