As Easter fast approaches, the following books are sure to make the holiday jollier. Ranging from spring to Easter and colors to coloring, these books are fun for readers ages 0 and up.
THE SMUSHKINS: COLORS, by Claudia Rueda, Candlewick, March 3, 2026, Board Book, $7.99 (ages 0-3)
When Smushkins shake a brilliant autumn tree, what do they get? A massive pile of red leaves to jump into! When a Smushkin twirls some cotton candy at the fair, what comes next? A cloud of pink! In a Smushkin’s world, dogs dig up bones in white snow, painters paint themselves into a purple corner, and friends jump together into luscious brown puddles. Reading a bedtime book might lead to a sleepy black doze, but check out the multicolored celebration with all the Smushkins at the end. —Synopsis provided by Candlewick
Discover a rainbow of bright colors with friendly characters. Simple text and sweet illustrations make this a fun learning tool.
YOUR TRUCK, by Jon Klassen, Candlewick, Jan.6, 2026, Board Book $8.99 (ages 2-5)
This is your truck.
It is yours to have.
Your truck is red, but it could be other colors too. It can carry things around, like a chair and table, a dog, or a horse. It will wait for you until you tell it to go, then it will go wherever you want, as far as you want, whenever you want. At the end of the day it will sleep, and you can sleep, too. Jon Klassen brings his minimalist’s touch to a soothing story of a simple object that a child can command and befriend, one that is there whenever the child chooses to visit it. —Synopsis provided by Candlewick
Your Truck is a deceptively simple board book that takes young readers through a simple story from beginning to end. It’s a fun little read that will especially appeal to little fans of trucks.
YOU’RE EGGSTRAORDINARY, by Sandra Magsamen, Cartwheel Books, Dec. 30, 2025, Board Book, $8.99 (ages 3-5)
An eggstraordinary message of love featuring soft, fuzzy feathers and an irresistible chick — from bestselling creator Sandra Magsamen!
I love you more each and every day. You’re simply eggstraordinary in every way!
Show your little chick how eggstra-special they are with this adorable, sturdy board book that features soft, fluffy chick feathers. With Sandra Magsamen’s signature message of love, this is an eggscellent way to celebrate springtime, Easter, graduations, birthdays, and beyond! —Synopsis provided by Cartwheel Books
Bright illustrations paired with a friendly character make this ode to love is one that little ones will enjoy. The floofy “feathers” poking out the top take this over the top.
PICK A PERFECT EGG (PICK A CELEBRATION), by Patricia Toht and Jarvis, Candlewick, Dec. 23, 2025, Board Book, $8.99 (ages 3-7)
Pairing Jarvis’s joyous illustrations with Patricia Toht’s wonderfully rhythmic text, this holiday ode hops through a busy springtime day all the way to Easter Sunday. From the farm where you’ve carefully selected your eggs—eggs perfect for drawing on with crayon, plopping into dyes, and bejeweling—follow along as preparations continue for the much-awaited festivities. Then on Sunday, open your door and search for eggs of a different kind, filled with foil-wrapped chocolate, spinning tops, and jelly beans. This cheerful Easter-time board book captures all the excitement of the holiday and is sure to become part of a new treasured tradition. —Synopsis provided by Candlewick
Though in board book format, Pick a Perfect Egg feels more like a traditional picture book. With double to triple the number of pages than regular board books, this is a good choice for little ones with longer attention spans.
IS THIS . . . SPRING? (HELEN YOON’S IS THIS . . .?) by Helen Yoon, Candlewick Press, March 3, 2026, Hardcover, $14.99 (ages 3-7)
Hooray! It’s spring! As one exuberant pup knows, spring means laundry waving on the line, romping in fields of flowers, and gentle, fragrant breezes. But wait . . . What’s with the . . . sniff, sniff . . . What’s with the . . . Hurk! Haaa. What’s with the . . . ah-ah-HACHOOO! Oh no! This is terrible! Is spring . . . ruined? Sharing a few seasonal hacks in more ways than one, Helen Yoon celebrates as only she can: with bumbling affection, good humor, and slack-jawed wonder. —Synopsis provided by Candlewick
This humorous look at spring will have kids laughing out loud. Silly illustrations and a fun story take this one over the top.
WHERE’S WALDO? THE OFFICIAL COLORING BOOK, by Martin Handford, Candlewick, Dec. 16, 2025, Paperback, $15.99 (ages 5 and up)
Bring busy Where’s Waldo? scenes to life by coloring them in and search as you go. What colors will you choose? Can you find Waldo and his lost pencils in every scene? (The hunt is even trickier in black and white!) When you reach the end of the book, read the checklists for even more things to find! Wow! With quality art paper, this book can be enjoyed by young and old artists alike! And it features over sixty pages to color that will take you on an adventure from the saloons of the Wild West to the bright lights of a Broadway stage. —Synopsis provided by Candlewick
This is the ultimate coloring book. With black-and-white outlines as the only guide, readers are able to choose a color scheme for entire spreads. And if you thought finding Waldo was hard in color, wait until you try in black-and-white.
Copyright © 2026 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
