The Story of the Easter Robin [Hardcover]

Dandi Daley Mackall (Author), Anna Vojtech (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 23, 2010 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years

In the center of the nest lay one perfect egg, the color of a spring sky. The father robin sat on a branch nearby, guarding his family. Tressa spotted raccoon tracks below and a blue jay eyeing the nest. 'Gran, how are we going to keep the egg safe?' 'We'll have to leave that one to the Creator,' Gran said. Robins have built a nest on the window ledge at Grandmother's house! Tressa is thrilled---and concerned. What will happen to the sky-blue egg laid by the mother robin? As more eggs appear, Tressa witnesses the daily drama of the robins' nest and learns how God cares for all creatures. Besides watching the birds, there are Easter eggs to color. And there is a very special story to hear---a tale of long ago about one small bird with a very big heart. How did the robin get its red breast? Tressa is about to find out as Gran tells her the story of the Easter robin. Brought to life with colorful, tender illustrations, The Story of the Easter Robin will captivate and teach your child about compassion and faith.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Two stories fold into one as this contemporary tale reaches back to the first Easter. Tressa is worried about the robin’s eggs outside her window. And even though Gran tells her to trust the one who watches robins and sparrows, Tressa knows everything from weather to raccoons could mean trouble. To get her mind off the eggs outside, Gran brings Tressa inside to make Easter eggs the Pennsylvania Dutch way: blowing out the insides, dyeing them, and fashioning paper into wings, heads, and tails for the egg bodies. It is while they are working that Gran tells Tressa a story. At the time of the Crucifixion, it was the small brown robin that pulled a thorn from Jesus’ crown to spare him pain; the blood from the wound gave the bird its red breast. The next day, the baby robins have hatched, and Tressa knows whom to thank for their safety. Drawing from Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, this warm story incorporates intergenerational affection, religious faith, and the appeal of legends. Sturdy artwork brings all the elements together. Preschool-Grade 2. --Ilene Cooper

Review

Drawing from Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, this warm story incorporates intergenerational affection, religious faith, and the appeal of legends. Sturdy artwork brings all the elements together. -- Ilene Cooper, Booklist <br><br> (Ilene Cooper, Booklist )

'A textured alternative to fluffier Easter fare.' -- Publisher's Weekly, February 2010 <br><br> (Publisher's Weekly, February 2010 )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Zonderkidz (February 23, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310713315
• ISBN-13: 978-0310713319
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 0.3 x 11.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #694,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dandi won her first writing contest as a 10-year-old tomboy. Her 50 words on "Why I Want to Be Batboy for the Kansas City A's" won first place, but the team wouldn't let a girl be batboy. It was her first taste of rejection.
Since then, Dandi Daley Mackall has become an award-winning author of over 400 books for children of all ages, with sales of 4 million copies in 22 countries. THE SILENCE OF MURDER is the winner of the Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery 2012. Recent picture books with Sleeping Bear Press include Legend of Ohio, Rudy Rides the Rails: A Depression Era Story (Notable Book 2008 - Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People National Council of Social Studies & Children's Book Council; winner of the Angel Award, 2008; Winner of the "Award of Excellence" from Chicago Book Show 2007) and 2008 release, A Girl Named Dan (her own "batboy" story, and a lesson on Title IX), 2 Mom's Choice Awards & Amelia Bloom Award. Eva Underground, Harcourt young adult novel, nominated ALA Best Book 2007, starred Kirkus review, awarded a Top Teen Read by New York Public Library, finalist for Ohioana Award, was based on the author's experiences behind the Iron Curtain. Love Rules was awarded Romantic Times' Top Pick. Middle-grade fiction, Larger-than-Life Lara, Dutton/Penguin, which teaches how to write, while tackling the problem of bullying, is on the KY Bluegrass Award List 2007-8; William Allan White Award list, 2008-9; KS and KY Children's Choice lists. Her Winnie the Horse Gentler series has sold over half a million books and Starlight Animal Rescue is a Gold Medallion finalist. Dandi received the 2009 Helen Keating Ott Award for distinguished contribution toward promoting high moral and ethical values in children and young adult literature. She also received the Distinguished Alumna Award in 2008 from the University of Missouri. Dandi is a national speaker, keynoting at conferences and Young Author events, and has made dozens of appearances on TV, including ABC, NBC, and CBS. Visit Dandi at www.dandibooks.com, winniethehorsegentler.com, and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85oaIUbJ8j8

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The true meaning of Easter April 6, 2010

By Jewelry Whisperer

Format:Hardcover

I read this beautiful book to my girls the day before Easter. They were all excited about wearing their new dresses, getting chocolate bunnies and having family over that I felt compelled to make sure they understood the true meaning of Easter.

We sat and read the book together and as the story of the Easter Robin unfolded I could clearly see they were drawn to the suffering that Christ withstood for us.

At the end of the story they asked if this was true? "Yes, the truth that Christ died for us is real. The robin...well, only God knows but I'd like to think so." was my answer.

Beautiful illustrations, wonderful characterizations of a grand mother and a inquisitive child led The Story of the Easter Robin to become one of our favorite, family holiday books.

You must pick up a copy and share it with your family...you will never look at those precious little birds the same way again...and hopefully you'll look at the true meaning of Easter differently as well.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This beautiful tale weaves in Pennsylvania Dutch tales and tradition, telling children the true meaning of Easter! October 13, 2010

By D. Fowler TOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

A chill was in the air and Easter would arrive in two weeks. Tressa and her Gran peered out their window under the eaves at a lone robin sitting on her nest. It was worrisome to watch her mold her nest in preparation for her eggs because a "million things could go wrong when a robin tried to nest" before Easter. The next day when Tressa peered from beneath the red polka dot curtain she spotted a tiny blue egg in the nest, but also could see racoon tracks and a "blue jay eyeing the nest." She began to doubt if the egg would be safe, but Gran told her that the worry belonged to the Creator, not her. Soon there were three more eggs in the nest.

Gran told her about things like the robin's brood patch and the story of how the robin got its red breast from a drop of Jesus' blood. As Tressa listened to the stories, Gran began to teach her how to make oschter-fogged, Easter birds. She watched and listened carefully, but her mind still was on the robin on the window ledge and her eggs. In the morning they would hang their beautiful Easter birds from trees. On Easter morning Tressa carried her basket into the yard under the tree where the nest was nestled onto the ledge. She was startled when she saw that "jagged chips of blue shell lay scattered over the ground. Had something eaten the eggs? Was she going to experience sorrow instead of pain on this special Easter day?

This beautiful tale weaves in Pennsylvania Dutch tales and tradition, telling children the true meaning of Easter. I loved the way this tale gracefully unfolded, giving us a glimpse into several aspects of Jesus' life in relation to Easter symbolism. Passing on tradition and faith, whatever ones' family has, is important and this book wonderfully shows how Gran passes down hers to Tressa.... The artwork was beautifully rendered and meshed quite well with the tale. It does show Jesus as he carries the cross and shows a robin plucking a thorn from his crown. In the back of the book there is more information about the story of the Easter Robin and Christ's sacrifice. This would be a wonderful tale to introduce young children to the meaning of Easter and the legend of the Easter bird. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A more complete product synopsis May 14, 2012

By flatlander

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this book after looking at the selected pages and the product summary provided by Amazon. That slice was only accurate to a point. The illustrations are well done but the language taken from the Easter Passion may not be what everyone is looking for in a child's Easter picture book. "Swooping down to see what the fuss was about he (the robin) caught sight of a man, beaten and bent under the weight of a wooden cross....Jesus stumbled as a whip snapped."

This is a fable of a robin removing the thorn "dug into His head". "A drop of Jesus' blood fell onto the robin's breast, staining it red from that day to this." As a Christian, mixing facts with fictional fable is not my choice in teaching about the historical life and sacrifice of Jesus. Many may love this book. I respect those positive reviews. I would have selected something else if given a more complete synopsis.

5.0 out of 5 stars The pictures are lovely April 6, 2013

By Rawbin

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

The story is of a sweet relationship between a girl and her grandmother. As they watch a pair of robins create a nest and raise a family, over time, the grandmother shares stories and tells, in a round about way of spring, new life, and Christ, without sounding too preachy. They also make a craft together, showing how to make birds out of blown out eggs just the way my father did with us when I was a child.
The illustrations on this are so pretty, that you'd want to look through it even if you aren't religious or you are too young to read the words.

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed feelings on this book March 8, 2013

By Xanders Oma

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love the idea of the legend of the robin's red breast. And I think this is book is well written and has lovely illustrations. My concern is that there is a large picture of Christ with the crown of thorns, and then only one line stating that he rose from the dead. The resurrection needs to be very strongly and clearly presented. I do like how the girl is dismayed to find the broken egg shells, and yet joy filled to find out the baby birds are alive. But I am not sure that small children will make the connection.

3.0 out of 5 stars A nice Easter book, not great. August 14, 2012

By runruby

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a beautifully illustrated book. I also love that since it includes Robin's it was an everyday reminder of the Easter season. I enjoyed the craft idea (blowing out egg shells and making robins) that was beautifully woven into the story. (we tried it with friends and had fun)

I have younger children and this book seemed on the edge of what I was comfortable with. I am all for the Easter story being told in it's full (gory) detail, but it also needs to be appropriate to the age of the reader. This seems targeted at children, and was so beautiful it caught me off-guard when (paraphrasing here) blood dripped from Jesus onto the Robin and stained his feathers (and that's why the Robin has a red chest).

I understand the stories that are generational and how they are more about tradition than accuracy, but it seems like including the details about the bird, somehow cheapens the story a bit. I felt like when my children asked if it really happened I had to clarify, and explain yes to the crucifixion, but no to the bird.

It is a good story, and I will continue to read it to my kids year to year, but I don't anticipate it becoming a family favorite that we can't wait to get out.