For Kids, Books Make Great Easter Surprises

(StatePoint) The best way to treat kids this Easter may not be with the typical sweets. While candy is predictable, you can really make a child’s day with a different approach.

“This Easter, think books,” says Jaimie Cona, Associate Director of Marketing at DK, a publisher of adult and children’s books. “Fill baskets to the brim with books, and consider including them in your egg hunt.”

Here are some titles that are fun enough to be a sugar substitute:

• Super Heroes: Discover a thrilling, action-packed world with “LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Amazing Battles!,” which features the bravest of heroes as they foil  yet another evil villain’s scheme. Dynamic images and scenes will appeal to reluctant readers.
Super hero fans may also love “Ultimate Factivity Collection: Marvel Avengers,” which combines facts about the Earth’s mightiest super heroes – the Avengers – with fun activities and interesting puzzles.

• Pop-Out Surprises:  Using flaps, touch-and-feel textures and pop-out surprises, “Pop-Up Peekaboo Farm,” introduces young minds to sheepdogs, tractors, cows, horses and more.

• Creepy Crawlies: “Eyewitness Explorer: Bug Hunter” includes more than 30 hands-on learning activities and step-by-step project instructions. Enter the kingdom of creepy crawlies and learn everything there is to know about beetles, bees, spiders and more. Experiments that can be done at home include raising a caterpillar.

• Little Chefs: Encourage your budding chef’s aspirations with creative recipes that are safe for children. The “Mommy & Me Bake” cookbook is designed to offer parents and children the opportunity to work together as a team while teaching basic baking skills. From simple kneading and mixing to creating whimsical and tasty treats, the book empowers kids to experiment in the kitchen.

• “Frozen”: For fans of the mega hit film, fill up Easter baskets with a great crop of new picks, including “Frozen: The Essential Guide,” a fact-filled reference book about the characters, locations and themes of Disney’s beloved princess tale. A sing-along companion, “Frozen: The Essential Collection,” features lyrics to the famous songs, as well as a full-color sticker book.  “Ultimate Factivity Collection: Disney Frozen,” a jam-packed activity book, combines facts with games, challenges and sticker activities; and aspiring princesses everywhere are sure to love the “Ultimate Sticker Book: Frozen,” which lets kids re-create their favorite scenes from the movie with reusable stickers.
• Bedtime: There’s always time for a little play before bedtime. Capture the attention of infants with “Baby Touch & Feel Animals,” which features blankets, stars, sleepy stuffed animals and a range of novelty textures.

• ABC’s: Children around the world have fallen in love with Sophie, the popular giraffe teether toy from France. In the “Sophie la girafe” book series, Sophie and her friends teach new concepts, such as colors and basic vocabulary. “Peekaboo ABC” features every letter of the alphabet illustrated by familiar objects found in Sophie’s world.

More kids’ book ideas for Easter can be found at www.dk.com.

With a few literary surprises, you can indulge more than just your child’s sweet tooth on Easter.