Beautiful Eggs

This intricately illustrated board book offers a kid-friendly introduction to the long history of egg decoration, which spans several cultures and countries: the Czech Republic, Greece, Japan, Latvia, Mexico, Slovakia, and Ukraine. On each page, die cut–style capital letters announce the name of the specific culture’s practice, while Lindstrom offers a few lines of free verse detailing the decorations (“Colorful paper cut to the right size./ Snip out a zig zag on opposite sides./ Glue the paper onto the egg/ and fold it carefully into place,” reads Japan’s entry on washi). Beneath those lines, a brief paragraph explains a few more facts, including the country of origin and pronunciation (although the proffered Japanese pronunciation, “wah-shay,” is incorrect). Each right-hand page presents a multilayered, cut-paper illustration of the eggs and figures clad in traditional cultural attire. An informative book that may provide further inspiration for Easter festivities. Ages 5–7. (Mar.)