How to Catch a Leprechaun
Adam Wallace
Another acclaimed work by Adam Wallace
How to Catch the Easter Bunny
by Adam Wallace
Easter Bunny
A bouncy rhyming picture book where kids build elaborate traps and the Easter Bunny cheerfully dodges every one, perfect for a silly, repeatable holiday read-aloud.
What It's About
How to Catch the Easter Bunny is a picture book from Adam Wallace's popular How to Catch series, illustrated by Andy Elkerton. The premise is simple and appealing to young children. A group of kids is determined to finally catch the Easter Bunny on his egg-delivery night, so they design a string of increasingly over-the-top traps. The bunny himself narrates in rhyme, boasting about his speed and cleverness as he slips past each contraption.
The fun comes from the contrast between the kids' earnest engineering and the bunny's breezy confidence. Elkerton's bright, busy cartoon illustrations carry much of the humor. Kids enjoy studying the traps, spotting little details, and predicting how the bunny will escape. The text is short enough for one sitting, and the rhyme and rhythm make it easy to read aloud with some theatrical flair.
This is a light, playful book rather than a story with emotional depth or a religious angle on Easter. It works best as a seasonal tradition: something to pull out every spring, tuck into an Easter basket, or use to spark a family or classroom project where children sketch their own bunny traps. Expect giggles, a quick read, and requests to read it again.
Read this if you…
- have a child roughly 3 to 7 who loves silly, energetic read-alouds
- want a light, non-religious Easter book to start a yearly tradition
- like books that inspire kids to draw or build something afterward
Skip it if you…
- want an Easter book with a religious message or a gentle, heartfelt story
- already find the formulaic How to Catch series repetitive
Key Ideas
- 1
Kids as inventors and planners
The children in the story don't wait passively for the holiday. They plan, build, and test traps, which models curiosity and problem-solving in a playful way. Many teachers and parents use the book as a springboard for kids to draw or construct their own trap designs, turning a holiday story into a small hands-on creative challenge.
- 2
A cheeky narrator who always wins
Telling the story from the bunny's point of view gives it a mischievous, winking tone. Young readers get to be in on the joke as he outsmarts the kids. This setup keeps the holiday magic intact, since the bunny remains elusive, while still letting children feel clever for anticipating his next move.
- 3
Rhyme built for reading aloud
The verse has a strong bounce that makes it satisfying to perform, and children quickly pick up the rhythm. Occasionally the meter wobbles, but the overall effect is lively. Short pages and simple vocabulary keep attention from wandering, which makes it practical for bedtime, preschool circle time, or early elementary classrooms.
- 4
Illustrations that reward close looking
Andy Elkerton's colorful, detailed artwork does a lot of the storytelling, showing the traps in action and the bunny's narrow escapes. Kids who can't yet read can still follow and enjoy the action through the pictures, and repeat readers often notice new visual jokes and small details each time.
Limitations
The book follows a clear formula shared across the How to Catch series, so families who own several titles may find them interchangeable. The rhyme sometimes feels forced, and the plot is thin: it is essentially a sequence of traps and escapes rather than a story with character growth. It does not address the religious meaning of Easter at all. Some adults also find the busy illustrations a bit cluttered. As light seasonal entertainment it does its job well, but it is not a book with lasting depth.
Questions Readers Ask
- What age is How to Catch the Easter Bunny best for?
- It suits children around 3 to 7 years old. Preschoolers enjoy the pictures and rhythm when read aloud, while kindergarteners and early first or second graders may start reading parts themselves. Older kids may find it too simple, though some still enjoy designing their own traps afterward.
- Do you need to read the other How to Catch books first?
- No. Each book in the series stands alone with its own creature or holiday figure and its own set of traps. If your child enjoys this one, titles like How to Catch a Leprechaun or How to Catch a Unicorn follow the same playful format and make easy follow-ups.
- Is this a religious Easter book?
- No. It focuses entirely on the Easter Bunny, egg deliveries, and the fun of trying to catch him. Families looking for a book about the religious meaning of Easter will need a different title, but it works well for anyone wanting secular holiday fun.
- Published
- 2017
- ISBN
- 9781492638179
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Category
- Easter Bunny
Book details and cover from Google Books.
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