Children's poet and prolific poetry anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins teamed up again with beloved illustrator Tomie de Paola in this 1979 Easter poetry collection—the third such holiday anthology from the duo, following upon their Good Morning To You, Valentine: Poems For Valentine's Day (1976) and Beat the Drum, Independence Day Has Come: Poems for the Fourth of July (1977). Here are nineteen poems from sixteen poets, exploring both the religious and secular themes of this important holiday in the Christian year, from the resurrection of Christ to the doings of the Easter Bunny. The authors included range from well-known adult poets like Christina Rossetti and Joyce Kilmer to children's writers like Elizabeth Coatsworth and Dahlov Ipcar.

I wasn't sure what to expect, picking up Easter Buds Are Springing: Poems for Easter, as I enjoyed Hopkins and de Paola's Fourth of July offering, but was largely unimpressed by their Valentine's Day anthology. I was pleased to find that I ended up enjoying this one, both as a whole collection and individually, with some of the specific poems. I was charmed to see that Laura E. Richards, whose vintage girls fiction I have greatly enjoyed, was represented here, and I found her poem (At Easter Time) lovely. I also enjoyed both of Aileen Fisher's poems, Easter's Coming and Easter Morning, as well as Margaret Hillert's At Easter Time. The accompanying black and white artwork from de Paola, instantly recognizable in style, was charming, and added to my enjoyment. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for engaging Easter poetry anthologies for younger children. ( )