The Easter Bunny Hop

PreS–This sweet and simple book is a lovely opportunity for Easter-themed movement. The first page opens on four children, with a variety of skin tones and genders, wearing pastel-colored ballet attire and dancing in a sunny wood. One word floats above each child: Hop, Hop, Flip, and Flop. At the bottom of the page, text asks “Can you do the Bunny Hop?” On the second page, the Easter Bunny “hops so high her ears can almost touch the sky.” Pages continue alternating between the dancing children and the Easter Bunny delivering eggs to a tidy neighborhood, until the children stop to play while the Easter Bunny looks on from behind a bush. On the next spread, the children resume their dance with eggs hidden all around them and bunny ears peeking out. The final page shows the bunny walking towards a setting sun: “She hops away to disappear, but she’ll be back again next year.” The story is slight and the rhymes are simple, but they flow nicely and pair perfectly with the cheerful, watercolor artwork. Images of dancing children invite readers to stand and move along with them. Young ballet dancers will recognize poses such as the plié and glissé, while others will enjoy making the shapes with their bodies. Readers will also have fun finding the hiding bunny and scattered Easter eggs.