These secular Easter picture books celebrate the holiday and spring, but have NO mention of Jesus. AT ALL.
No crosses, no tombs, no Sunday church clothes, no religious undertones, nothing.
(Are lists like this helpful for you? Make sure to check out an pin for later this list of Christmas picture books NOT about Jesus.)
Also, these books are all explicitly about Easter. I didn’t include any books that just talked about spring. They had to be a non-religious EASTER picture book to make the list.
This picture book list is roughly broken up by ages, but you know your kids better than anyone, so do check out the whole list of secular Easter picture books even if your children fall into only one of the age categories for reading aloud. I also noted in the description if the Easter picture book would suit a wider age range.
I also review some character based secular Easter picture books at the end, so keep scrolling through that. (I did say which of the many Fancy Nancy Easter picture books is the best, so get ready for controversy! That was sarcasm. But I did say which book is best.)
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Secular Easter Picture Books for Babies and Toddlers
Where are Baby’s Easter Eggs? by Karen Katz
This lift the flap Easter book for babies has darling bright pictures, and sweet questions for your baby. Heads up that the description for this book from the publisher contains the words, “sturdy flaps.” I mean, sturdy is a pretty strong word… If you truly want sturdy flaps, I’d recommend the next book on the list instead of this one. But this one is still nice, just don’t expect your baby to look at it independently.
Hop: Peek-a-Flap by Jaye Garnett
Now, this is an Easter lift-the-flap picture book with sturdy flaps! The colors are more muted than the other books on this toddler list, but the chunky flaps are perfect for little hands. This secular Easter board book should DEFINITELY be in every baby’s Easter basket.
Llama Llama Easter Egg by Anna Dewdney
Of course Llama Llama is picture book royalty. This sweet rhyming board book about Easter shows Llama looking for eggs, and finding a few sweet springtime surprises.
Related: The best BRAND NEW board books!
Construction Site: Spring Delight by Diane Alber
New in 2022!! The sweet construction site machines are back! Even though the title just says spring, there are Easter eggs and other holiday themes in this darling lift-the-flap book. I sort of waffled between putting it on the toddler list or the preschool list because the flaps aren’t super sturdy, but I think it belongs on the toddler list. Just keep an eye on any especially destructive toddler. (Preaching to myself, here…)
Secular Easter Picture Books for Preschoolers
A Little Scribble Spot and the Easter Eggs by Diane Alber
New in 2022!! If you’re looking for something to tie a little social emotional learning (SEL) into your spring story time, this is the particular secular Easter picture book I recommend. The story is about the Easter bunny feeling frustrated, and how a scribble spot helps the bunny name their emotions and work through them. It’s simply written using speech bubbles, and includes multiple emotions. However, it’s not TOO heavy handed, which I appreciate. The focus is definitely on feelings, but not to the point of alienating the little listeners. It would be great for a school library or your home book basket, and could definitely use for a wider age range than just preschool.
Here Comes the Easter Cat by Deborah Underwood
This is a really funny preschool Easter picture book with no Jesus. It is about a lazy cat who wants to take over for the Easter bunny. The cat isn’t the nicest creature in the world, but it all turns out ok in the end.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Chick by Lucille Colandro
Looking for some slapstick humor in your book basket? This is a great secular Easter picture book for preschoolers because it is FUNNY. There’s nothing better than an old lady eating crazy Easter stuff, right?
The Easter Egg by Jan Brett
The Easter Egg tells a sweet story about a rabbit trying to impress the Easter bunny. It’s amazing illustrations are what will captivate preschoolers. Even the borders of the pictures have more details and pictures to see. Highly recommend!
Heads up that the board book version of The Easter Egg is the exact same story. Sometimes they shorten the classics when they produce the different formats, but it does not appear that they did that this time – full text and illustrations in the board book!
The Night Before Easter by Natasha Wing
The Night Before Easter takes the classic Christmas poem and replaces Santa with the Easter bunny. It’s very cute, and especially focused on the candy! If you have a preschooler with a sweet tooth, this secular picture book will be a hit.
(Heads up that this title is different from ‘Twas the Night Before Easter, which is religious. Just FYI if you’re typing it quickly, don’t get confused if you’re looking for strictly non-religious picture books.)
Five Little Easter Bunnies by Martha Mumford
New for 2021! This lift the flap book allows preschoolers to Again, no religious symbols or anything like that, just sweet little bunnies looking for eggs. It is based on the rhyme “Five Little Speckled Frogs.” Heads up that it is on the preschool section of the list because the flaps are rather flimsy. Probably not best for a toddler, but is an ideal interactive Easter picture book for a preschooler!
Easter, Here I Come! by D. J. Steinberg
New for 2021! This is a darling book of poems about Easter. (There is one about making an Easter bonnet, heads up if your brain says, “Bonnet! Must be church!”) It’s written by the author who wrote Kindergarten, Here I Come! If you’re familiar with that popular book, you’ll know this one is charming.
How to Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton
By the team who brought the classic How to Catch a Unicorn, this spring time picture book is not religious at all. It shows a diverse group of kids trying and (spoiler alert) failing to catch the Easter bunny. It’s cute and colorful, and one of those that kids want to hear over and over again.
Secular Easter Picture Books for Elementary Ages
Laugh Out Loud Easter Jokes by Rob Elliott
This hysterical Easter themed joke book will have your elementary reader in stitches. Don’t be fooled by the fact that this is a lift-the-flap book and think it’s for younger kids – the puns are meant for more nuanced listeners. It’s definitely the right book for humor-loving elementary readers.
The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by Du Bose Heyward
Do not be put off by the fact that this book looks old! It is old, and it is WONDERFUL. The story follows a mama bunny who has dreamed of being the Easter bunny, but caring for her many children, and being told that she is not special enough to be the Easter bunny has caused her to give up on her dream. Is it uncomfortable how much I relate to this rabbit? It’s a great classic Easter picture book that should be in your book basket. Definitely one of the best Easter picture books ever.
The Dumb Bunnies Easter by Dav Pilkey
Ahhh, Dav Pilkey. Children’s book royalty. Author of some of the most ridiculous, absurd, slap-stick fare to ever grace a bookshelf. Your kids will love this book. It’s absolutely ridiculous. This is the funniest Easter picture book with no religion, as long as you don’t mind the word “dumb.” In Dav’s defence, the bunnies really are dumb. That’s what makes the book such a hit with elementary readers!
Here Comes T. Rex Cottontail by Lois G. Grambling
This Easter picture book is a little bit older, but if you can get your hands on a copy it should definitely be in your book basket! It’s the story of what happens when a t. rex has to fill in for the Easter bunny.
The Biggest Easter Basket Ever by Steven Kroll
Another oldie-but-goody! This classic secular Easter story is about cooperation and a VERY big Easter basket. Plus, it’s set in Mouseville, which is darling. This picture book is slightly on the long side, so I recommend for elementary age listeners.
The Easter Bunny’s Assistant by Jan Thomas
Not a ton of text in this hysterical Easter story about a skunk helping the Easter bunny. You could easily read it to preschoolers also. However, let’s face it, stinky humor is meant for the early elementary crowd. What second grader won’t cackle when skunk…skunks? Perfect picture book for spring time for any age.
BONUS: 5 Character Themed Secular Easter Books
These are the non-religious Easter picture books with beloved characters. (AKA, characters your kids already know and love.) Again, nothing religious, and these books are NOT about Jesus at all. Read on to see if they’re worth putting in the kids’ baskets for Easter.
Fancy Nancy’s Elegant Easter, Fancy Nancy Easter Bonnet Bug-a-Boo, and Fancy Nancy and the Missing Easter Bunny by Jane O’Connor
Although I do not normally gravitate to pink-and-girly, I HIGHLY recommend the Fancy Nancy books. Diverse characters, lovely family dynamics, robust vocabulary, AND pink sparkles?!? They are perfection. When it comes to the Fancy Nancy Easter picture books, all of them are great.
Fancy Nancy’s Elegant Easter has lift-the-flaps. However, Fancy Nancy and the Missing Easter Bunny has the best story line. Plus it has the original illustration style, which is my personal favorite. Fancy Nancy Easter Bonnet Bug-a-Boo has the animation-style illustrations, and is based off of the Fancy Nancy tv show, and it is not my favorite. Any of them will thrill a Fancy Nancy fan!
Max’s Chocolate Chicken by Rosemary Wells
Max and Ruby books are great because it FEELS like a real sibling relationship. They are fun stories with good family dynamics, but not preachy. Even if your kids aren’t familiar with the Max and Ruby books or show, they’ll still enjoy this fun twist on an Easter egg hunt. Aren’t we all Max sometimes, obsessed with eating a perfect chocolate chicken?
Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure by Kimberly and James Dean
Heads up that this secular Easter story about Pete the Cat is short. Like, really short. The page count is bulked up with some activities. So, it’s not a picture book that I shout about as a must-own, but if you have a Pete the Cat lover, they’ll love it! (Some Pete the Cat editions have a Bible verse in the “dedication” section before the story starts. Heads up since I’ve been all “THERE’S NO RELIGIOUS TONES IN THESE BOOKS.”)
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