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Thursday, March 11, 2010

An Easter Story

It's not THE Easter Story....but its an Easter Story I loved as a child. I was going to wait to talk about this book closer to Easter but... I wanted to post about it and suggest that anyone interested....rush to buy at Amazon.com, now, so you have for this Easter. Maybe you know about this book already, but it is just the sweetest, old fashioned and yet feminist story. It truly has a very modern message...though it is a very vintage book....hence why it's here on "ModVintageLife".

I believe you are very much molded by the books you read growing up and this book definitely had a huge influence on me. I just reread it tonight and realized that it very much influenced my belief in myself -  that I could do anything I set my mind to, despite the fact that I was a little girl or despite the fact that there might be obstacles.

It was written in 1939 so it was a book my Mother had read to her as a child, as many of my most treasured children's books are. Books she loved became books I love.

So, please indulge me as I share a childhood memory - I'm getting that Easter feeling. The daffodils are finally up at my house...and I'll need to decorate my redbud tree for Easter very soon. I've decorated the mantel in my home already and will share that this weekend.

Back to the book...I'll include an excerpt here...but I don't want to ruin it for you and tell it all. You'll be surprised how wonderful it is if you go buy it for yourself or to share with a child this Easter. Really...get a copy....it's a lovely, lovely book with the prettiest illustrations and the most inspiring story, especially for a little girl who will grow up to be brave and strong as well as feminine and resourceful.

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes



We hear of the Easter Bunny who comes each Easter Day before sunrise to bring eggs for boys and girls, so we think there is only one. But this is not so. There are really five Easter Bunnies, and they must be the five kindest, and swiftest, and wisest bunnies in the whole wide world, because between sunset on Easter Eve and dawn on Easter Morning they do more work than most rabbits do in a whole year.

When one of the Easter Bunnies grows old and can no longer run fast, the old, wise, and kind Grandfather Bunny who lives at the Palace of Easter Eggs calls the bunnies together from the whole world to select the very best one to take the place.

Often a mother bunny says to her child, "Now if you learn to be wise, and kind, and swift, some day you may grow up to be one of the Easter Bunnies." And all the babies try their very best, so that they can grow up and go to work for the Grandfather Bunny at the Palace of Easter Eggs. 

One day a little country girl bunny with a brown skin and a little cotton-ball of a tail said, "Some day I shall grow up to be an Easter Bunny: - you wait and see!"
Then all of the big white bunnies who lived in fine houses,


and the Jack Rabbits with long legs who can run so fast, laughed at the little Cottontail and told her to go back to the country and eat a carrot. But she said, "Wait and see!"


The little girl Cottontail grew up to be a young lady Cottontail. And by and by she had a husband and then one day, much to her surprise there were twenty-one Cottontail babies to take care of. 

Then the big white rabbits and the Jacks with long legs laughed and laughed and they said, "What did we tell you! Only a country rabbit would go and have all those babies. Now take care of them and leave Easter eggs to great big men bunnies like us." And they went away liking themselves very much.

Cottontail stopped thinking about hopping over the world with lovely eggs for little boys and girls, and she took care of her babies.

And one day, when her children stopped being babies and were little girl and boy bunnies, she called them to her and said, "Now we are going to have some fun."




I won't spoil it and type out the whole book....because the illustrations are so beautiful and it's a good 40 pages or more... But there are adventures, lessons learned, adversity and a special happy ending.

Everyone talks about the Magic of Christmas, but there is a Magic to Easter too. My Mom made it magical. We didn't only read this book at Easter but it was a favorite to read all during the year to dream of pastel eggs, bunnies, sugar eggs, tulips and little yellow chicks. 

Reading this book tonight, definitely got me in the mood for Easter. If you decide you wish to order yourself a copy for this Easter...here's the link...


This link is for the paperback version....I didn't check but I bet there is a hardback version in the used sellers or on Ebay. It's a book to be cherished in hardback.

And if you have read this book please let me know....I'd love to know if there are others out there that love this book too.

I'm sharing on 





11 comments:

Sweet Bee Cottage said...

Oh yes! This was one of my favorites as a child too! I rediscovered it when my Baby Bee was about a year old. She's 9 now. Now I've gotta' go get my copy out for Easter.

Thanks!

Nita Stacy said...

oh....how nice....no one I know besides my Mom and sister know the book. I display it with my Easter stuff too. Thanks so much for letting me know.

Hootin Anni said...

I swear, you really put it into words perfectly. I too think everyone is molded by the books they read as a child!! AND continue to grow with books as they become adults!!

Your post share is awesome.

My Show n Tell is just Springtime Flowers in our Yard A nice treat after a long, cold winter!! Stop over and 'smell the roses' with me if you can! I'd love your company!!

Donna, The Decorated House said...

Oh what a lovely post! I adore the illustrations in this book. Thanks for sharing in such a wonderful way your love of books, and Bunny stories of course.
Donna

Charlene said...

What precious photos/art these books contain. I LOVE vintage books. I agree that the things we read as children do shape us. Have a great weekend. Charlene

Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...

Thank you so much for sharing! So adorable!!

Marianne said...

What a sweet story and I love the illustrations.

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

Sounds like a sweet story and the pictures are so cute; especially the one of the bunny with all her baby bunnies in the basinette. Thank you for sharing a sweet memory.

{oc cottage} said...

Just precious!

m ^..^

Red Lipstick said...

How sweet! I collect interesting bunny things and must have a look at this. Thank you so much for sharing! I really enjoy your blog.

Anonymous said...

I just could not pass the opportunity to share my love of this book. It was my favorite childhood book and I, too, was very much affected by the message in it. Aren't the illustrations just magical? Like you, I get it out and read every year. My original book has a bit of "coloring" on it and is fragile. It has been
so fun to find someone else who knew and loved our little bunny and her golden shoes!